Step By Step
by SVUlover
Summary: I clutched my phone in my hand, staring at the wall paper of Oliver and I a few months back. He'd kissed my cheek sweetly and I'd snapped a picture. I wish things were that simple again. Step by step. Someone needed to tell Oliver that. Step by step."
1. Chapter 1

**So here's another new one...don't worry. I will update the others...I just need to be in the mood. I promise they will be updated. Promise!  
Enjoy and review. And Oliver is OOC in parts of this. In this chapter most definitely.**

**-Jen**

**PS: sorry this chapter's kind of short...the others will be longer!  
**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable people, characters, places, items, or anything else. If I owned Hannah Montana, Loliver would have never existed. Ever. All people, characters, places, items, or anything else are properties of their rightful owners, this is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.**

* * *

This was what I loved. I loved when he held me, and stroked my hair. I loved when he sung softly in my ear, I loved when he whispered things for only me to hear. I loved when he kissed me, gently and slowly.

That was what I loved. But it usually always turned in to what I hated.

I hated how he's get on top of me and start kissing me harder with more demand. I hated how he'd always move his hands everywhere over my clothes and then move them under. I hated how he would press himself against me, a unnecessary reminder of what he expected me, wanted me to do. I hated how he treated me like nothing more then a way to get some at those times.

I hated how mad at me he got when I told him I still wasn't ready.

He'd progressed to the part I hated now. His soft, gentle, loving kisses had turned in to the fierce, 'I-Want-More,' kisses. He'd rolled over on top of me, his erection was pressed against me.

It was when he began to push his hands up my shirt that I stopped him.

"Oliver..." I whispered when he moved his lips from mine, to attach them to my neck.

"What baby?" He groaned, his nether regions being pressed against me more, making me feel more uncomfortable.

"Stop." I whispered so softly, but that was all it took. He stiffened, his face grew mad, but he rolled off of me, pushing his fingers through his hair.

"Jesus Christ, Miley." He growled, "This is getting fucking annoying."

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"You're sorry, you're sorry; are you ever anything _but _sorry?!" He yelled at me. "All it is withyou is 'nope, sorry Oliver, I'll let you get all worked up and then decide not to have sex at thelast minute!'" He said angrily, grabbing my hand and pressing it to his...erection. "Do you know how much that hurts? And you do it every time." He growled, only letting go when I let out a whimper. He threw my hand back at me and turned away, letting out a groan of frustration.

Shaking, I moved, and tried to hug him from behind, but he got up. "I'm going in the shower." He said, and I swallowed, looking away.

"I'll wait here."

"Just get out, Miley. Go home." He said with venom.

"This is my home." I quietly reminded him. Just a few days ago he'd helped me move all my stuff in because I'd sold my apartment at his insistence.

He let out a laugh, though I didn't see what was funny. "Then just...get out. I'm sick of looking at you right now."

He turned away as tears filled my eyes, and the bathroom door slamming drowned out the sob I let out.

I heard the shower start, and I slowly reached for my phone, pressing a button and making a call.

"Hello?"

"Lilly?" I cried, "Can you come get me, please?"

"Miley?" She asked, "What's wrong?"

"Please...just come get me. Can I stay with you for a few days?" I pleaded.

"Of course, hon...I'll be there in five." She promised, I heard her keys and a door open.

"Thank you." I whispered, before hanging up.

I got a duffle bag and put some clothes in it, and then grabbed my purse, and then went to the bathroom door, and knocked hastily.

"What?!" He snapped.

"I-I'm leaving." I said quietly, wishing he'd tell me he hadn't meant it, wishing he'd come out and wrap me in his arms.

But he didn't. "Good." He snapped.

"I-I love you." I said, pleading.

"Get out." Was the only response I got.

I ran out, and didn't even bother with the elevator, ran down the stairs, and through the lobby. Lilly was just pulling up and she got out, face concerned, and took my bags, and I got in the car.

After she'd gotten back in the driver's seat, she said softly, "Miles?" And I broke down. "Want be to go up there and teach him a lesson?" She asked softly.

I shook my head and whispered, "Please just drive."

She did, and after a moment, asked, "What happened?"

"We...we just got in a bad fight. It's nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing, Miley." She said sharply.

"Please, Lils..." I pleaded softly, "Please just let it go. I just want to forget about it."

She didn't say anymore, only, "You can stay with me as long as you want to."

We arrived at her apartment, and after helping me in to the guest room and asking if I needed anything, Lilly left to her room, and I changed and crawled under the covers of the guest room bed.

I clutched my phone in my hand, staring at the picture that was my wall paper. It was of Oliver and I a few months back, he'd kissed my cheek sweetly and I'd snapped a picture.

I wished that things could be like that again. "Step by step, Miley." I said softly to myself, and then I realized someone should tell that to Oliver.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter :)  
**

* * *

I woke the next morning feeling like I'd been run over by a truck, and about three hours too late. I was supposed to be at work by nine, it was noon.

I got out of bed and pulled my sweater on, wrapping it around me tightly as I walked in to the kitchen.

Lilly sat at the table. She made her own hours. I didn't, usually, but we were in a crunch to get this album recorded. I wasn't the one being recorded though. I wasn't Hannah anymore, I worked as a producer and an agent for my dad's record company, the one Hannah had used to work for. She sill made appearances sometimes, but other then that...I'd left her when I'd turned eighteen. I'm now twenty three.

Since I worked for my father I wouldn't be in too much trouble. I'd just have to answer questions I couldn't answer without Oliver getting his face punched in. He worked for my dad too, as the same thing as me, minus the agent part. He was a very talented music producer, and he also sang some backup for artists.

Lilly was a writer, and a sucessful one at that. "Hey." She said, looking up from the paper she was looking over, hair messily up, the glasses she'd always used to hate perched on her nose, one hand holding a pen, the other around a coffee mug.

"Hi." I said quietly, voice sounding hoarse.

"There's coffee." She said, though I was already walking over. I was here as much as I was at my own apartment...well, when I'd had one. I guess I was homeless now. I got a mug from the cabinet, and poured myself a cup, and added cream and sugar, sitting across from her.

"Oliver called me." She said casually. "Said he told your dad you were sick, not to worry about coming in."

"Ain't he a saint." I muttered. "He's just protecting his own ass."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

I was silent for a long moment. "We got in a fight. Just a misunderstanding."

"Don't give me that shit, Miley. I got a call at nearly one in the morning from you sobbing and asking me to pick you up, that isn't just some misunderstanding! What the hell happened!? Did he hit you?"

"No, Lilly, of course he didn't hit me how could you think that?!" I yelled, appalled.

"I'm sorry! But Lately I don't know what to expect from him he's seemed so different, Miley!"

"You don't need to tell me that." I said quietly, and she waited for me to go on. "He's mad because...because I won't have...he's mad because we havn't had sex yet." I said finally.

"You guys have been together since senior year..." Lilly laughed.

"I know!" I yelled, "I know that he tells me that all the time," I broke down in to sobs, andI heard her chair scrape back, and she was hugging me.

"I'm sorry," She said, "I'm sorry...come here."

She pulled me to her living room, to the couch, hugging me still. "Why havn't you...?"

"Because I don't want to, Lilly! I'm not ready, and he just doesn't get that!" I cried.

"So talk to him, Miley, tell him!" She said, "Explain it to him."

"I can't,he'll just l-l-laugh at me! So will you! No one will understand!" I said.

"If you don't try how do you ever expect him to understand?"

No answer I could think of, I got up. "I'm going back to bed."

Lilly sighed. "Alright."

I went to my room and shut the door, and crawled beneath the covers of the bed, laying in the middle of it, hugging another pillow to my chest.

I don't know when I fell asleep, but I did because I woke up at three to knocking on my door.

"Miles?" Lilly said. "You awake?"

I groaned, "Yea. What?"

"Someone's here to see you."

"Who?"

"Oliver."

"I changed my mind, I'm still asleep." I yelled, turning away from the door. If he wanted to be a bastard then I could be a bitch.

I heard them talking, arguing, and then the door opened and shut again.

I felt the bed shift as his weight was added, and then he was softly stroking my arm. "Hey baby," He said softly. "Why don't you come with me, come on home?"

"I can't." I whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I have no home, because my boyfriend talked me in to moving in with him and then kicked me out!" I cried, "And don't touch me!" I yelled, moving away from his touch.

"Miley I'm sorry," He said, "I'm sorry, I was out line. I was just aggravated. I love you so much and you have no idea how you affect me."

"Yes I do know you yell at me all the time. Remember last night when you...raped my hand?" I cried. "You aren't sweet talking me to claw your way out of this, Oliver."

"Miley please," He whispered, "Please."

His second please came out of some resemblance of cry, and I turned around. His face looked pained, he looked like he was lost.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly, sitting up.

He reached up to cradle my face in his hands. "Please, Miley. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

He looked so...serious, so afraid, so sincere, that I nodded. "Ok." I said softly, sighing, reaching up to place my hands over his, and smile at him. He smiled back at me, and reached down to kiss me gently.

He then pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around me, and I let my head fall to rest in the crook of his neck.

This was what I loved.

--

"Leaving already?" Lilly asked, looking up at from her couch, where she was editing something, her glasses low on her nose, as she surveyed us, Oliver's arm wrapped around my shoulders, mine around his waist, my duffel bad over his shoulder, my purse in my hand.

"Yup," I smiled. "Thanks for being there last night, Lilly," I said, leaving Oliver to bend down and hug her. "You're the best friend ever."

Lilly smiled, and waved us out, looking troubled.

"What'd I miss at work?" I asked, "My dad's probably going to give me the third degree. He'll probly think I'm pregnant again." I grumbled, getting in to Oliver's car."

"He actually seemed pretty preoccupied. Lindsey is sick and couldn't sing, so recording got set back."

Lindsey Nicholson, the sixteen year old we were working with, was like Hannah Montana of this time...without the whole double life thing. I was her agent, too. She was in the process of recording her third studio album.

"Oh. Ok then, works for me...it sucks that she's sick though, I should call..."

"Linda said that she was dead asleep in bed," He said, referring to Lindsey's mother. "Call her tomorrow."

I nodded, as we headed towards home.

"I've been thinking." Oliver said conversationally.

"That can't be good..." I teased, looking at him.

"Har har." He said sarcastically. "But seriously...You and I should take a vacation." He said. "we should go to the Bahamas...or Aruba. The Greek Isles. Or Paris, you've always wanted to go there!"

I smiled half hardheartedly. I knew his plan. Get me on a vacation, butter me up, get sex. "Lindsey really needs me right now...and I don't think dad will go for us leaving, not now."

We'd arrived back, and were in the elevator by that point. "I already asked if it was alright, he said that as long as we prove we're staying in separate rooms it'd be fine."

"I...don't know where my passport is."

"It's in the lock box with mine." He said.

I was shit out of luck, having no more excuses.

"I mean I understand if you don't want to go...I mean who would want to go with their boyfriend whom they claim to love on a vacation? I mean, no one should have invented the idea ever!" He said, unlocking the door, waving me in.

I put my purse down on the couch angrily, "You know I hate it when you do that, Oliver!" I snapped.

He turned after taking his jacket off, face looking innocent. "Do what?"

"Try to guilt me in to doing something I don't want to do!" I yelled, "You do it a lot, and you know what? If you loved me you'd respect what I want!" I shouted, turning round to stomp in to the bathroom. I needed to take a shower.

Walking through our room, I dropped my purse on the bed, and then went in to the bathroom, slamming and locked the door.

"I am not trying to guilt you!"He called through the door.

I took the aspirin bottle from the counter, opening it and pouring two pills in to my hand, grabbed a cup, filled it with water, and then swallowed them, but then missed when I tried to throw the cup away.

Sighing, I bent to pick it up, and my eye caught the color of a box. I read the name. "Trojan..."I mouthed, and then I saw the things that had come in that box...but were used.

That bastard.

I opened the door, and he was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking pale, sickly, but I ignored him, grabbing the duffel bag, and going over to the closet.

"Miley?" He asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back to Lilly's you filthy disgusting _bastard_!"

"What did I do?!" He asked.

I turned to face him, "I don't know, Oliver, you tell me! Where'd you find the fucking whore this time? You're unbelievable, you say you love me and that's why you try to get me to have sex, but then when I don't do it, you go get some filthy home wrecking whore!"

"How could you say that?!" He asked, sounding like he was really upset, "I'd never cheat on you! I could never!"

"Don't try to pull that, the fucking evidence is in the TRASH!" I yelled.

His face blushed a deep red. "Those aren't from me having sex." He said.

"Then enlighten me, what are they from?"

"The hard ons don't just go away by themselves." Oliver muttered, flushing more, looking at the floor.

I paused. "You mean you..."

"Yes, Miley. I had to. And that wasn't the first time either."

"Oh. I'm sorry for yelling at you and calling you a cheating bastard."

Oliver nodded, and didn't say anything.

"Ollie?" I said softly, "Are you alright?" I asked, walking over, sitting beside him.

"I just feel a little dizzy," He said.

"Have you eaten anything today?"

"Not much...My stomach's felt weird."

"I'll go make you some toast," I said, standing up, and making him get up so I could pull the covers back. He sat down, kicking off his shoes, and then lay down, and I pulled the covers over him.

"I'm fine," He said, as I leant down to press my lips to his forehead. He felt warm.

I gently kissed his lips, and got up.

"I'm fine," He said once again.

I went to the kitchen and put bread in the toaster, and then walked back through our bedroom and got the aspirin bottle, getting two more pills out, then filling a cup with water, and bringing it out to Oliver, helping him take it.

After I got the toast and he ate it, I crawled on to the bed next to him, and he rested his head in my lap. I slowly combed my fingers through his hair...he seemed so weak, and it had come on so suddenly.

"I'm fine," He repeated yet again, and this time I had to ignore the nagging feeling that told me he was trying just as much to convince himself as me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next one! **

**HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Thank you to all my amazing readers and reviewers, thanks for making my year better, and being so great. I hope everyone has a wonderful 2010, and that my stories will continue to be something you turn to =) Thank you everyone, you all rock! Happy 2010, and enjoy!!  
**

* * *

When the morning came, Oliver's normal healthy self was back with it, and that confused me.

I'd already called to tell dad we wouldn't be in before he'd woken up, and when I'd gone back in, he'd been just sitting up. "Woah there, where do you think you're going?" I asked.

"In the shower...to get ready for work?"

"You were sick yesterday, Oliver." I said, as he headed for the bathroom. "Get your ass back in bed. Now."

He turned, "But Miles, I'm fine!" He said.

I walked over there, and pressed my hand to his forehead. Perfectly cool. I narrowed my eyes. "Get back in bed. I already called us out. If you're spontaneously well, we might as well take a mental health day."

He shrugged, "If you insist!"

I giggled, and took his hand, pulling him over to the bed, and crawled across it to my side.

Once we were under to covers, facing each other, I toke a breath,"I was thinking about what you said...about the trips."

"Oh?" He asked, reaching to take my hand.

I nodded. "I don't see a problem with that...I'd be happy to go with you...especially you know...on a honeymoon."

My heart felt like it'd beat out of my chest, and I felt a blush flush in my cheeks.

He looked at me for a moment, "Are you...proposing to me?" He laughed. "Isn't it supposed to be the other way around, baby? Like the whole me getting down on one knee old fashioned crap?"

I fought back tears and turned to lay on my back. "It isn't crap." I whispered. "And no, Oliver, I wasn't. I was just saying that...I'm ready, to get married. I'm ready to start our life together."

He was silent for a moment, and when I looked at him, his face was completely serious. "Look, Miley...I just...don't want to get married right now...I'm not ready for that...commitment."

I was silent for a minute before saying, "You know sex is a commitment too, right Oliver? At least that's what it's supposed to be. It's supposed to be a commitment to love, that would be why it's called, 'making love.' It's supposed to consummate marriages. It's supposed to be special, and planned, and at the right time. And it's supposed to also be between two people who are financially and emotionally ready to raise child together should that result."

"I do love you! It would be making love!" He said, "And no one waits till marriage anymore, Miley! It's 2013!"

"People do wait till marriage, Oliver, because I am a person!" I said.

"You mean we have to get married _first_?!" He yelped.

"Yes, Oliver. Because that's what I have always planned to do. It's how I was raised, it's what I believe. My virginity is going to the person who loves me and I love, who I get married too. And...if that's not you then so be it. Now what? Would you like me to leave and never see you again because you aren't getting sex?" I asked, crying.

I was remotely shocked when I felt his arms gently wrap around me, pulling me close to him. "Please don't cry," He whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Miley. Is that what you think? That all I want you for is sex?"

"sometimes," I whimpered, resting my head against his chest

"No, Miley, No," He whispered. "You're so much more then that to me." He said, "You are everything to me. I don't know what I'd do without you and...I love you so much, Miley. I want to be that guy Miley, I really and honestly truly do...but I can't be, at least not now. And you'll understand why eventually."

I nodded, "O-okay...but...I'm not ready to make love, Oliver. I'm sorry, but I'm just not, not yet. Weather it be before or after we're married, so be it, but I just can't now."

"Okay." He said. "I'll wait. I promise. No more repeats of the other night."

I nodded against him. "Okay. I'm sorry, Oliver."

"No, baby...don't be sorry for your beliefs." He said, holding my closer. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. But why didn't you talk to me about this before?"

"Because I thought you'd laugh at me. Because I...didn't know how."

"You can talk to me about anything." He said. "Everything."

"I'll keep that in mind." I said, smiling up at him.

"Good," He smiled back, reaching up to wipe away my tears, before leaning down to kiss me.

The rest of the day was spent mostly laying in bed, cuddling together, watching movies, kissing, talking. It was very restful, and I loved it.

The next month or so passed without any fighting. Easter came and went (we spent it with Oliver's family), as did my brother's wedding to his longtime girlfriend, Chelsea.

Lindsey's third album launched and she left on tour, and so work was kind of slow, we only went in Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Oliver had some random sick periods, lasting anywhere from eight hours to five days. When I tried to take him to a doctor, he refused point blank...that was the only thing we fought over.

It was now August, about three or so months later.

It was Friday night, and Lilly and I had made plans to go out dancing, a girl's night. I'd showered, and done my hair, and had headed out to our room in my robe to get my clothes, but stopped when I saw Oliver on the bed, looking like he did during his sick periods, only worse then ever before.

"Oliver!" I said, rushing over there.

"I'm fine," he said, words that had fallen from his lips so many times they should be his new catch phrase.

"I'm staying home." I said.

"No, Miles! Go out with Lilly, you guys havn't hung out in forever! She'll just get on my case about stealing you away again," He laughed.

"I don't care, you need me!"

"Miley please," He said softly, seriously, taking my hands. "Go out with Lilly and have fun. I'm fine, and if I'm not I'll be able to reach you on your phone."

I looked at him for a long moment, before starting to shake my head, "I don't think I should--"

" Please go. For me." He said.

I sighed and fifteen minutes later, in a sparkly black dress and pumps, said, "I'll be home by one. If you need me, call me."

He nodded, "I will, I promise."

I sighed, still uneasy about this. "Good," I said, leaning down to kiss him. "I love you, Ollie."

"I love you too, Mile. And you look amazing."

I smiled. "Thanks. I'll see you later, babe."

"Have fun!" He called as I left.

--

Several hours later, the cab pulled up in front of our building.

"Thank's for that, Lilly, I had a lot of fun." I smiled.

"So did I, Miles. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. We should do this more often."

"Definitely!" She grinned, and reached out to hug me. I hugged her back tightly, before opening the cab door.

"Call me when you get home." I told her, before bidding her goodbye and walking in.

It was a little after one, I knew Oliver would be asleep, but I was still worried.

I got to our apartment as quickly as I could, and as I opened the door, an uneasy feeling settled inside of me.

Shutting the door and dropping my wristlet on the couch, I quickly went to our room, and got more worried when Oliver wasn't in bed.

"Oliver?" I called, flicking the light on. Nothing. "Oliver?!" I called, and then felt stupid. He was in the bathroom, I noticed the light on. "Oliver, why aren't you answering me?" I knocked. "Oliver...Oliver this isn't funny...I'm opening the door!" I called, and then slowly did so.

My heart stopped.

"OLIVER!" I shouted, racing to the bedside table to grab the phone, then back to him, as I dialed.

"9-1-1 operator 345 what's you're emergency?"

Keeling beside him, I found his wrist, "My boyfriend--" I sobbed, "He's passed out on the bathroom floor, and I don't know what happened! You need to help him, fast!" I cried.

"Miss, what's your name?"

"M-M-Miley."

"Ok, Miley, what's your address?"

I told her with difficulty, and as soon as it was out she said, "Ok honey, paramedics are on the way, I'm going to stay on the phone with you till they arrive."

She instructed to find his pulse, which I had already done. it was there, but seemed faint. She helped me through CPR, but when the paramedics got there he was still unconscious. I watched in tears, a mess, as he was put on a stretcher, and then grabbed my wristlet as I rushed by, staying with the stretcher. The ride in the ambulance seemed endless, and I was left alone as he disappeared through the triage doors. I numbly called Oliver's parents, Lilly, and my father and then brother.

Mr. and Mrs. Oken got there first, and Sally sat beside me, wrapping her arms around me. "It's alright dear." She consoled, and I was shocked.

"How are you so calm?!" I sobbed, "He was passed out on the bathroom floor he hasn't woken up...He..he...I..." I could say no more.

Sally gently pushed me back and put her hands on my shoulders.

"He still hasn't told you, has he?"

"Told me what?" I whispered.

Sally sighed. "He'll kill me for this but...Miley..." She took a deep breath and said with sadness, "Miley...Oliver is sick...very, very, sick."


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone =) Enjoy the update and review please! You find out what's wrong with Ollie =(  
**

* * *

I looked at her blankly. She couldn't be serious.

"Miley, sweetie...he's dying." Sally said quietly.

I numbly felt my head moving back and fourth, side to side. My mouth formed words, well, one word, over and over, though no words came out. No, no, no, no. No.

Finally, I found my voice, "N-no, you're lying to me! He's not dying!"

"I wish I was lying to you, dear...but he's been dying since your freshmen year."

"How? Why? Why hasn't he told me?"

"He hasn't told most people...and I should let him explain the rest." She said softly.

"What's wrong?!" Lilly's voice said as she ran in. She stopped when she saw me. "She knows?" She asked softly, sitting beside me. "Miley, I'm so sorry." She said softly.

At that point, I didn't care that she knew but I didn't. I was in shock. Painful, lost, intense shock.

"I-I Can't loose him," I choked out, "He can't leave me."

It felt like my chest was frozen, but on fire at the same time. What ever it was, it was searing pain.

"Miley, calm down," Lilly said, worry in her voice.

"Can't...b-breathe," I choked out, in hysterics.

"She's going in to shock," A voice I didn't recognize said, "Honey, put your head between your knees.

I did as she said, and I felt a cool cloth be put on my forehead. I was back to normal in a few minutes...well, normal meaning I could breathe.

I sat up, buried my face against Lilly's shoulder...and burst in to renewed sobs.

--

The doctor came out about an hour after my father and brother got there. Lilly had helped me change out of the dress and heels in to clothes she'd thought to bring for me, sweatpants, a tank top, and a hoodie.

"We were able to revive him," He said, though he took his glasses off, and sat across from Sally and Carter, Oliver's dad. "Sally, Carter...it's over."

"Doctor-Doctor Jacobs..." Sally said softly, choking over tears, "This is Miley...Oliver's girlfriend." She said, putting an arm around my shoulders.

He held out his hand, smiling, and I took it, "Pleasure to meet you, Miley, though I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."

"How long does he have?" I whispered.

Dr. Jacobs looked grave as he said, "Until Halloween, at least. Thanksgiving is he's lucky...Christmas if he's really lucky. But I believe he'll be gone before the new year."

I choked back another sob.

"He's awake," the doctor said, "You can see him."

Sally and Carter looked at me, but I shook my head. "You go," I said, "I can't...not right now."

Oliver's parents stood and welcomed everyone else to come along, and so my father and brother stood, kissed my forehead one by one, and then followed. Lilly squeezed my hand, gave a sad smile, and followed.

I curled up on the chair, and cried.

They all came out forty five minutes later, and only then, eyes puffy and red, but not watery, did I slowly walk to his room.

I stood at the door, holding my sweater tightly around myself with my arm's crossed over my chest.

He looked over, and smiled at me.

"You lied to me!" I yelled at him. "You told me you'd be fine! you said you'd be fine hundreds of times and you knew you wouldn't be! You told Lilly you were sick but you didn't tell me, your girlfriend!" I broke in to tears again.

"Baby come here," He whispered, "Please come here. I'll tell you....I'll explain everything."

I moved quickly across the room, and he gently pulled me down on to the bed beside him, holding me against his chest, and I continued to cry.

After a moment he said softly, "I have liver cancer. I've had it since the summer before freshmen year -- remember when I went away to visit family in Boston? I was at Childrens' hospital getting treatment. Most of the time when I was on trips after that until the end of high school was when I was at the hospital or too sick to go to school. I was sick for the four years, but at times it was manageable. At the end of Senior year I went in to remission. I've been fine since. And then...It came back a few months ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked tearfully, my hands forming fists around the hospital gown he wore. "How could you not tell me?"

"Because...Because there's nothing else they can do for me, Miley. I have a very, very special case of cancer, Miley. It isn't responsive to chemo or radiation anymore, and out of the billions of people in the world, only about twenty would be a match for a compatible donor for me. I didn't tell you in high school because...I knew that I would die, Miley. I didn't want to be seen as some invalid, I didn't want you and Lilly to treat me differently. Lilly found out because she walked in to my house after I'd gotten chemo and was really sick. I made her swear not to tell. I don't want us to be waiting for me to die, Miley. I don't want you to remember me like that. And that's why I won't marry you. I won't make you a widow at twenty three."

I looked at him through tear filled eyes, tears pouring down my face with no chance of stopping. "No. You can't die. I won't let you."

"You can't stop it, Miley," He said softly. "I have less then five months to live."

"I'll get tested. I'll be a match for you." I said fiercely, with belief. If God was trying to take him away from me, he had to have given me a way to save him. He wouldn't give me no way.

"I won't let them test you, Miley," He said, reaching up to wipe my tears away.

"Why?" I shouted at him. "I'll be a match! I can save you, Ollie, I can save you." I cried. "Let me save you. You think I won't be a match? I will be!"

"Miley, I know you won't be a match. And it's not me I am protecting, I'm protecting you. I won't let you get your hopes up only to be disappointed." He said firmly.

I looked at him, unable to say anything but be taken over by more tears.

He gently held me against him, and I found something wrong. He was the one that was sick. He was the one that was...d-dying. But he was the one holding and comforting me.

When I'd stopped being loud with my crying, he said softly, "Your dad gave us as much time as we need off. I want you to promise me something."

"Anything." I whispered, voice croaky.

"For the next...however long I have, you won't let the fact that I'm sick change anything. You andI are going to spend every moment together. We'll do happy things. That's how I want you to remember me."

I pulled away to look down at him, reaching out to place my hands on his face, and he reached up to hold them there. "I promise." I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I could not mention his sickness. "You know how you wanted to go on that trip? Well wewill." I went on. "We'll go to France, and Greece, and Spain, and we'll stop in Hawaii for a week before we come home." I decided. "I'll call a travel agent tomorrow. We'll spend a week in each place." I said.

He smiled, "I'd love that." He said, pulling me to him again. "All happy. All love. Just you and me."

i'd call my agent and get it planned soon. Before he started getting worse. Maybe getting out of the country would do him some good. And maybe I could get him to go see some foreign doctors who had different options.

I couldn't let him die.

I reached up to kiss him gently.

I wouldn't let him die.

He wasn't leaving me, no matter what.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's another chapter =) review please! hope you like it.  
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Oliver was discharged after a week, and after two days resting at home, we boarded a plane to Hawaii. Oliver had said he wanted to go there first, and Greece last. We were going to Hawaii, then Spain, France, and finally Greece, for one week each.

During the time I wasn't with him in the hospital, I was researching. I looked up well known doctors from Spain, France, and Greece, and their locations, and made appointments with each one. I'd get Oliver to go to them. I'd gotten copy's of Oliver's medical records from his doctor, after pleading and swearing him to secrecy, and sent them to each of the three doctors. They had to have answers.

I also read up, trying to learn of much Spanish, French, and Greek as possible.

When we left on August 31, 2013, I was fully ready to embark on not only this month long vacation, but this month long fight to save my boyfriend's life.

--

The week in Hawaii was spent spending lazy days on the sunny beaches, laying in the sand on blankets under umbrellas, and enjoying the pools and spas on our resort.

We did go swimming with dolphins and snorkeling, the first something I had always wanted to do, and the latter, something Oliver had.

We left Hawaii on Sunday, September eighth, catching our flight to Spain.

We were staying in Barcelona for the first half of the week, and Madrid for the second half. The doctor's in Madrid. All I had to do was keep it a secret from Oliver until the day of the appointment.

That plan had been going great. We had had our time in Barcelona, which was so beautiful and amazing, and had arrived at the hotel in Madrid. Then he found out.

"I am so tired," I said, yawning, as we entered our room.

"Me too," Oliver said, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, as I stood looking out our balcony. "How about we order some room service for dinner, and get pay per view? We can go out and see the sights tomorrow when we aren't half dead." He laughed.

I swallowed back a sob. He would get to the doctor tomorrow and the doctor would save him.

"Sounds good," I said, turning around to wrap my arms around him, but before I knew it, he'd picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder.

"Oliver!" I squealed, "Put me down!"

"Ok," He laughed, dropping me down on the bed, and then sitting beside me, grabbing the menu from the bedside table, and then rolling closer to me, who was giggling. "What to have..." He said, as I rolled close to him, resting my head on his chest.

"What looks good?" I asked, unable to see the menu.

"You." He said softly.

"That's a lie," I said, laughing, "I'm gross from traveling."

"No," he said, "You're beautiful. I kinda feel like mac and cheese."

"Oliver, we're in Madrid, Spain, and you want mac and cheese?" I laughed.

"...Yup! And like five deserts."

I took a deep breath, and took the menu from him, moving so I was on top of him, reaching down to kiss him. "How about...me being one of them?" I suggested softly.

His eyes widened for a moment. "R-really? You mean...?"

I nodded, smiling shyly, reddening. "Yea. I...I'm ready, Ollie."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly, and I nodded.

"Very sure." I told him.

He smiled, kissing me. "Great!"

I smiled, and then grabbed the hotel phone. "Here...order dinner."

--

After eating, I left Oliver to go in to the bathroom.

I quickly brushed my teeth, put on more deodorant, and then paused.

Should I put my robe on, or leave my clothes on? Would he want to do it?

Unable to decide, I called Lilly.

"Miley?" She asked, answering.

"Do I leave my clothes on, or take them off? Will he want to do it?" I asked quickly and softly.

"Miley!" Lilly whined, "You called to ask me about how to have sex with Oliver?"

"No! I just...I'm nervous." I said softly. "What if he isn't...satisfied? What if he thinks I'm ugly? He's never seen me naked before."

"Miley...he loves you. That means that everything else will fall in to place. Now I have to go! Good luck! Bye!"

I hung up, and looked in the mirror. Suddenly uncomfortable in my jeans and t-shirt, I pulled them off, and pulled my robe on over my bra and panties.

Leaving my wavy hair down, I walked out of the bathroom before I decided I had to do something else.

He was standing, now shirtless, in front of the doors to the balcony, watching the sunset.

I quickly walked over there, and slid my arms around him from behind, laying my head against his back. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. I wouldn't please him and he'd hate me. I knew it.

He turned around, pushing my hair gently away from my face, smiling down at me. "You're so beautiful," He whispered, before gently kissing me.

I couldn't tell you how long we stood there kissing, before my legs were around his waist, arms tightly around his neck. He moved towards the bed, and after a moment, I felt the soft mattress underneath my back.

As he trailed kisses down my neck. I didn't get the uncomfortable feeling this time, I felt how good it felt, I felt the love, and I wanted more. I wanted to have this level of love between us.

"I love you, Oliver," I breathed out,feeling as he pulled at the string holding my robe together.

I felt him gently pull open the robe, and I pulled my arms out of the silk, and it fell away, leaving me in nothing but my bra and underwear.

I felt the heat on my cheeks as I blushed, as his hands gently moved over my stomach, underneath to my back, pressing our bodies closer together. This time, though, I didn't feel pressured. I wanted to be closer to him too.

I moved my hands to the waist of his jeans, undoing the button and zipper, and then he pushed them off. Without the heavy denim, I could feel his arousal pressed against me, but it didn't feel weird now.

"I love you so much," He murmured, pressing his lips to mine again in a long, fiery kiss, before they traveled down my neck again, but then moved past that, his lips pressing kisses to the part of my breasts that weren't covered by my bra.

He'd just removed my bra when the phone rang. "Don't answer it," I whispered, pulling his face to mine, pressing our lips together.

"I have too," He said, punctuating every word with a kiss, "It could be our parents if they couldn't get through to our cells."

I groaned in annoyance as he kissed me again, but reached over to grab the phone.

"Hello?" He asked, as I began to press kisses to his neck.

I heard the response, "This is the office of Dr. Roberto Ortiz, calling to confirm an appointment for a Mister Oliver Oken for tomorrow at twelve pm." The recording of a women said. I felt Oliver stiffen, and then he'd pushed me away from him, as the lady went on telling him to press one to confirm and press two to cancel. I saw him press two and then hang up, placing the phone back, and then glaring at me, rolling off of me.

"You're un_fucking_ believable, Miley Ray Stewart." He said harshly.

"Oliver please," I said, grabbing his arm as he stood, also standing, grabbing my robe to cover myself. He pulled his arm away, turning on me.

"Don't you dare 'please' me, Miley, I don't want to hear it!" He yelled. "You're just a manipulative fucking bitch! When you don't want to have sex, you whine and cry about your morals and try to get me to marry you, and then you want something so you act like you're giving me what I want and going on vacation with me, and then you say you're ready, but all it all is is just a trick. You're trying to soften me up so I'll go to some stupid doctor, so I can pay hundreds of dollars just to be told what I already know! IT ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE, MILEY! I'M GOING TO FUCKING DIE!" He screamed. "YOU CANT DO ANYTHING SO GET THE FUCK OVER IT!"

"No!" I sobbed, as he walked towards the bathroom, "No, that's not true!" I said, going after him, grabbing his arm, trying to put my arms around him. "That's not true, Oliver, it's not-" I insisted, but he didn't answer, He flung his arms out, hard, pushing me off of him, and went to the bathroom without looking back.

Surprised at him pushing me, I lost my footing, and fell, and let out a cry of pain when I felt my head hit the hard wood of the foot board of the bed.

I thought I saw stars, and boy did it _hurt_.

I heard the shower turn on, and he didn't come out for a while, I don't know how long. All I know was that I was afraid to get up, and my head hurt like hell.

When he finally did come out, I was laying in the fetal position on the floor, and he stood over me. "What the hell are you doing on the floor?" He asked, angry still.

"I'm afraid to get up." I whispered.

"...why?" He asked, looking at me like I was an idiot."

"Don't go acting like it didn't happen." I cried. "It's your fault!"

"I didn't put you on the floor," He said.

"No, you pushed me to the floor." I said with hurt, reaching up to put my hand on my head, whimpering, "Ow. And I hit my head."

"W-what?" He said softly. "No! I'd never lay a hand on you!"

"That's what I used to think." I said sadly, "But you did. After you yelled at me."

"I...I remember yelling at you...but...no! No I'd never hurt you!" He claimed, "Never! I love you!"

"You pushed me, Oliver! You pushed me, and I fell, and I hit my head on the bed, and you just went in the shower!" I said, finally reaching out to grab the headboard, and pull myself up. The room span as I stood, and Oliver caught me, steadying me.

He pulled me against him. "Oh my god I did...I remember now." He said. "Oh my God, I'm sorry! I didn't meanit! It was the medication my doctor's making me take, Miley, I swear!" He said, near in tears. "It...It messes with my moods! I swear! I didn't mean it, I'm sorry!"

"Do you really think so lowly of me, Oliver?" I asked quietly as he carried me to the bed. "Do you really think I was just doing that to get you to the doctor...I love you. I was ready for us to be together that way." I said. "I wanted to make love to you."

"I know." He said softly, with tear filled eyes. "I just...I'm not going to the doctor's, Miley. So just get that through your head now. It's my choice, not yours. Promise me. No more doctors."

Grumbling I said, "I promise." though on the hand he couldn't see, my fingers were crossed. There was still the doctor in Paris. If he didn't know where we were going, he couldn't fight it. He wouldn't make a scene in public.

I'm not letting him die, not without a fight.


	6. Chapter 6

**So, today I had a day off of school and I decided to write because I realllly didn't want to do all the homework I didn't do all weekend. Teachers are cruel. Then again, maybe I should stop being the queen of procrastination world. Any who, here's the next chapter...thank you all for all the reviews you've left, they mean a lot =) Now I'm off to finish the homework I still need to do, and then go to bed. Hope everyone has a wonderful day at work/school/insert other here. **

**Hope you enjoy =) Reviews are always very much appreciated. **

**And, happy belated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to my American readers.**

**-Jen  
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The morning came fast, it seemed I had just shut my eyes when I was woken from the light coming in.

I heard Oliver on the phone. "No, but it's causing horrible mood swings and terrible rages! I wont take it if it winds up in me hurting her more then this situation is!"

I deduced he was talking to his doctor.

I laughed to myself, at the lack of humor. Did he not realize that by refusing to look in to any treatment he was hurting me.

I lay in bed until he hung up. He sat down, looking at me. "Good morning." He said quietly.

"Morning." I mumbled, finally moving. I winced though, my head hurt.

He flinched as I hissed in pain. "Can I get you anything? Aspirin? Ice?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'll get it myself when I go the bathroom."

"Let me help you-" He began, but I cut him off.

"You've done _enough_, Oliver." I said sharply, but softly.

"You're mad at me." he stated quietly. "But I didn't do anything. It's not my fault that I'm si-"

"Don't you dare try to pull the guilt card, Oliver Oken," I said lowly, "I am _not _in the mood."

"I told you it was the medication! My doctor said I was ri-"

"I believe you! The medication made you push me. But it didn't make you call me a 'manipulative fucking bitch', or accuse me of lying to you about my morals, or trying to con you in to marrying more, or accusing me of having sex with you to get you to give in." I snapped, hurt, sitting up. "I was ready, Oliver. I had been thinking about it a lot. And I was ready. I was ready to be like that with you. I was ready to give all of me to you. Do you know how self conscious I am? Do you know how big of a step that was for me?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered, and I knew that he meant it.

I sighed. "I know. I forgive you."

"We can now..." He suggested, hesitantly reaching out for me.

I pushed his hands away. "I forgive you, Oliver. But the moments passed. Now I'm not ready."

He shut his eyes and nodded. "Ok. Um...how about we go out? See the sites. Like we planned."

"Ok." I said. "I'm going to take a shower."

In the bathroom minutes later, under the hot steam of the shower, tears fell fast as what he'd shouted at me last night came back. '_I'm going to die. You can't do anything so get the fuck over it._' I was going to do something about it. I was going to fix him.

He wasn't going to die, he couldn't die, I needed him.

--

The next week passed slowly, us flying to France in the middle of it.

Oliver hadn't found out about any doctors appointments. Things between us had been distant. At night, instead of kissing and cuddling, they just went to sleep, though in the morning, she always woke up in his arms even though the night before she hadn't been there.

On the morning of Wednesday, September 18th, 2013, after we had gotten ready for the day, I told Oliver, "I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?!" He asked, excited. He'd gotten thinner, more sick looking.

"It's a surprise!" I said, "We gotta go get in the taxi downstairs." I said, grabbing my purse and taking his hand.

He came with me, and I smiled. We took the elevator to the lobby, then walked out in to the beautiful location of Paris, France. We were due to go see the Eiffel Tower that evening.

We got in the Taxi, and I pulled out a piece of paper and a blind fold. Oliver groaned, "I hate being blindfolded! I can't see!"

I giggled, and tied it around his eyes. "That's kind of the point, babe."

I handed the driver the paper, and said, "Amenez-nous à cette adresse, s'il vous plaît." The French equivalent of "bring us to this address, please."

I settled back against the seat as he nodded, and said, "Aucun problème, Madame," or in other words, "No problem, ma'am."

"When did you learn French?" Oliver asked.

"High school. And I brushed up on it before we left." I said, kissing him randomly.

He smiled. "What was that for?"

"I missed it." I said, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Me too." He said softly, and gently kissed my forehead.

The rest of the ride was relatively silent. When we arrived, I paid the driver, and then helped Oliver out of the car, and arms linked together, I led him in to the building.

Thankfully, some how, I got him in to the room to see the doctor without him finding out.

I pulled the blindfold off when the Doctor came in.

"Good afternoon, Ms Stewart, Mr. Oken," Doctor Christophe Clement said with a heave French accent.

Oliver registered the scene as I stuffed the blindfold in my purse, then shook the doctor's hand. Oliver shook it also, mostly out of shock that I had done this though.

"So, Mr. Oken, Ms. Stewart informed me about your condition, and I-"

"I'm sorry for wasting your time, doctor, but my girlfriend was wrong to make this appointment. Your services aren't needed. Thank you for your time." Oliver said, cutting him off. Standing, he grabbed my arm, and led me out of there, refusing to let go.

"Oliver!" I said, trying to pry his fingers off of my arm, "Let go! You're hurting me!" This continued down to the lobby. "Oliver!" I said, louder. He let go, turning around.

"Fine." He hissed. "I'm too pissed off to even want to be around you right now." He said, and then walked off.

I stood their for a moment, blinking back tears, before walking out in to the city.

I walked around for a long time, finally finding myself in front of the hotel. I took the elevator up to our room, and let myself in. I found Oliver putting stuff in to his suit case.

"What...what are you doing?" I asked softly.

"Packing. I have a flight to Boston in three hours, then a connector to LA. I'm going home. this trip was never about us, it was about you breaking your promise and not respecting my wishes." He said, adding more clothes to the suitcase.

Angry, I walked over there and began to pull his clothes out of the suitcase.

"MILEY!" He shouted, grabbing my hands in his, "STOP! Just stop it! I don't want to be here! Stop being so selfish! The only reason you are trying to find a cure is because you don't want me to die! You don't want me to be sick! But I'm sick of it all! I'm sick of being sick! I'm sick of living like this! I'm ready to let go!" He said, as I cried. "You made me a promise. You promised me you'd let it go. You promised me-" He said, but I cut him off.

"AND YOU'RE BREAKING YOUR PROMISE!" I shouted at him as I cried.

"What promise?!" He exclaimed.

"You promised me forever!" I sobbed, "You promised me we'd be together forever! You promised me you'd always be there for me, you promised me no matter what, we'd be together. Remember, the night before you left for NYU the first time? We were laying on the beach, and I started crying because I thought we'd wind up breaking off. You promised me that we'd be together forever, an that you'd love me forever. No matter what!" I cried, hysterics. "And now...now you're just giving up! On yourself, which is sick, because you are worth so much more then that, Oliver! You deserve to live and get better. The fact you're giving up on yourself is bad enough, but you're giving up on me, too? You're...You're giving up on us? " I cried in a soft whisper. "And maybe I am being selfish, but I don't care! If you won't fight for yourself, then so help me God, _I will_!" I told him defiantly. "And you know that if the situation were reversed you'd do the same thing."

When I looked at him, his eyes were shut tightly, but he opened them seconds later, and moved forward, trying to wrap his arms around me. I fought him at first, but eventually gave in, caving in against him in renewed tears. "You can't die, you can't l-leave me," I sobbed against his chest, holding to him tightly in fear that if I let him go, he'd disappear right out from under me.

"Miley,"I heard him whisper, "I'm not just giving up, not on you, or us. I'd never give up on you, on what we have. But I have to give up on me...it isn't really giving up. I've been to so many different doctors, so many different times, and they've all said the same thing. My parents spent thousands to bring in foreign doctors too. It was always the same. My only chance is a transplant, and we aren't gunna find a person who matches me." He said softly, his fingers combing through my hair as I cried, holding tightly to him. "There's nothing left to do, baby, and that's why I don't want you doing this. I don't want you to get your hopes up, because there is nothing, left to do," He said, gently moving me too cradle my face in his hands so he could look at me.

Numbly, I shook my head back and fourth, "No," I whimpered, "No."

"I'm sorry," He whispered, his face filled with pain.

It occurred to me as I continued to whimper and shake my head, that he was apologizing to me because he was dying of cancer, something out of his control.

"I'm not breaking the promise I made you," He said to me. "I'll always be with you. I'll watch over you until you're with me again."

"But I want you here with me," I said with tears. "I want to get married, a-and have your babies, and grow old together. Why don't you?"

"I do, Miley," He said softly, brushing some tears away, combing my hair from my face with his fingers. "But that's just not how it's going to be. I want to be able to give you all of that, baby, I really and truly do. I wish I could. But...I can't. But I can love you forever, like I promised. And I will. I'll wait for you, up there. I'll watch you move on, and hopefully marry someone else, and have kids, and get everything you want...everything you deserve..." He whispered, painting a should be beautiful picture for me, but of a future that I didn't want unless he was in it.

"Please, Miley," He said urgently, "Please give me this one last thing. Please don't do this to yourself anymore. Promise me...from now until the day I take my last breath, it'll just be about you and me. No more trying to find answers that aren't out there. When the time comes, baby, you just have to let go."

The way he was looking at me, pleading, made me nod. "Fine," I sobbed, burying my face against his neck. "You win." I whispered, and I felt him press his lips to the top of my head.

"I love you, Miley. I love you more then you'll ever know. You're my light. You're the only reason I've held on this long." He told me, again moving so he could see my face.

Slowly, I pulled his face to mine, and kissed him with more passion then I had ever done before, moving my arms around his neck, pressing our bodies together.

I didn't feel it as Oliver lifted my feet from the ground, and moved back, laying on the bed and bringing me with him, so I was laying on top of him as we kissed.

I broke the kiss, each of my arms resting on either side of his head on the pillow, and looked at him, softly saying, "I'll let you go, Oliver...but that doesn't mean I'll live without you. As soon as you leave me, I'll find a way to follow. Even if it means doing it myself." I told him.

He looked up at me for a long moment, his eyes holding some alarm. Though I knew this wasn't the last we'd be talking about this, he nodded, and just kissed me again, holding me close to him.

As the minutes passed by, our kissing progressed. He wound up on top of me, I wound up pulling his shirt off. Eventually, our clothes were nothing but a pile on the floor.

Completely bare for the first time in front of anyone, I flushed, embarrassed, as his eyes moved over my body. "Hey," he whispered, moving my sideways gaze to his gently, so he could lean down and sweetly kiss my lips, "Don't ever be embarrassed, Miley Ray. You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

I gave him a small smile, and pushed my fingers through his dark locks of hair, gently pulled his lips back to mine. "I love you, Oliver." I whispered, as his lips trailed down to my neck, my chest, then back to my lips.

"I love you too." He whispered back, and then he paused, his eyes searching mine. "Are you sure about this?" He asked.

I looked up at him, our eyes locked together, and nodded. "I'm aure about you." I whispered. "I'm sure about us. I'm sure about how I feel. I'm sure I love you.I'm sure thatI want to be with you in this way. I love you Oliver." I said, feeling like I was rambling. "I love you...more then life." I whispered. "Please...please make love to me."

He kissed me once again, and then he rolled off of me, reaching for something somewhere, and I then heard the tearing of foil, and knew he was getting a condom, which was good since I wasn't on the pill.

Then, he was back, and we picked up right where we'd left off.

He was concerned at my pain, as he took from me what I wanted him to have, one of the most sacred things I could give. With every kiss, every touch, every thrust, every moan, every whisper, my love for him only grew. His name feel from my lips that night many times, as did mine from his. Our bodies so close, I wasn't entirely sure where one stopped and the other started.

And as we reached our highs together, both of our eyes were locked together, both of us calling out the others name, I was glad I had waited. He'd always been the right one. The one. The only one. Forever and for always, no matter what.

Afterward, once he'd cleaned up and disposed of the protection, both of us crawled in to the confines of the bed, and he wrapped his arms around me. Sliding my arms around his torso, I rested my head against his chest.

We lay there in silence, there being nothing either of us had left to say right now. Underneath my head, I felt the beating of his heart, and I found myself not wanting to move, for fear if I did, that beloved sound of life might just slip away, stealing away the only one I'd ever wanted.


	7. Chapter 7

**So heres another chapter. I hope you like it...it is kinda, ok, a lot sad. Please please please let me know what you think. Reviews make my day!**

**Enjoy!  
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**-Jen  
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We wound up falling asleep together, sleeping for over twelve hours, skipping our plans to see the Eiffel tower. And when I woke up, I was alone.

I heard Oliver in the bathroom, getting sick. The doctor had warned me about this. As time went by, he'd get worse and worse. Getting out of bed, I grabbed my robe and pulled it on, then knocked lightly on the bathroom door, and went in.

Looking much paler, frailer, and thinner, he lent over the toilet. I saw blood in there.

I sank to my knees beside him, gently pushing his hair away from his sweaty forehead, and gently rubbing his back. "Get out of here, Miley," He said hoarsely, but I ignored he said he was done being sick, I helped him clean up, brush his teeth, and then helped him back to the bed, where I sat beside him, holding his hand.

"I'm calling the airport," I whispered, cutting him off as soon as he started to protest, "Don't Oliver. You're medical care is in LA. You've gotten worse. We're going home. I'm sorry, but we have to."

Without fighting, he gave in.

I got up and went to my phone, looking at him shut his eyes.

Worse?

Yes, he was much worse.

--

Less then twenty four hours later, we were back in LA. Lilly met us at the airport, and brought us back to my dad's house, where Jackson and his wife were, and also where Oliver's parents were.

His younger sister, Chelsea, who was a junior at UCLA looked shocked upon seeing him. She'd been studying abroad in Italy for the past six months, but had gotten out early. Oliver had tried to talk her out of it. He didn't like people going out of their way for him.

"Chels," He said, smiling at her upon seeing her, "Welcome home."

As Jimmy stepped forward to help his son to the couch, Sally's and then Chelsea's eyes caught with my own. I gave a small nod. He'd been worse on the plane.

Chelsea sat on the couch beside him, and wrapped her arms around Oliver, burying her face against his shoulder.

The room was silent, but her body shuddering gave away her crying, and I turned away as Oliver wrapped his arms around her and began muttering things to her. It'll be ok. I'm fine.

I'd heard it all before. I'd heard all the lies before. And lies they were.

--

Less then an hour later, Oliver collapsed, out cold. The night that all of this had started replayed in my head as, the neighbors of my father watching, I climbed in the back of an ambulance with Oliver laying on the stretcher.

I held his hand tightly in mine, and combed my fingers through his hair. "Hold on, baby," I pleaded, "Please. Don't leave me yet. It's too soon." I sobbed, as he blinked up at me with tired, heavy eyes.

His mouth moved, forming words around the oxygen mask, and with his free hand he reached up to move it. "I love you," he managed to say.

I kissed his lips quickly before moving the mask back in to place. "I love you too." I whispered. "So don't leave me."

It seemed like the ten minute ride to to hospital took hours, like each minute ticking by was three hours and that Oliver was running out of time.

But of course, when we got to the hospital, I was separated from him as I wasn't allowed past the triage doors.

I guessed that the other had gotten stuck in traffic, because they still hadn't arrived. Sitting by myself on a chair, I fought back the tears.

"Hey." A voice said, and I looked up to see a girl that I had not met before.

"Hi..."

"Sorry...I saw we were both sitting alone. And I saw you come in. I know what it's like. My husband's dying. Has been for years." She said. Husband? She couldn't be older then me.

"I'm Miley." I said, shaking her hand. She smiled, sitting beside me.

"I'm Maura."

"How old are you, if you don't mine me asking...?"

"I'm twenty."

"But you're married?" I asked, unable to hide the shock.

"Yea. I married Tom when we were eighteen, while he was in the hospital. He's dying. I love him. We've been together since freshmen year of high school."

"Maura, you can see him now," A nurse said to the girl.

"I'm sorry to leave so soon," she said, standing, "But..." She trialed off, waving, handing me a piece of paper. "If you ever need to talk, call me, Miley."

--

The doctor came out ten minutes later, no one else was here yet. I got to go see Oliver, who was asleep now, but safe...for the moment.

"Miley...we're entering the final stages," Doctor Jacobs said. "He toldme...he wants to go home. He just wants to be with you. I'm going to give him a morphine pump to monitor the pain...and just play it by ear, Miley."

"Will he be in a lot of pain?" I whispered, stroking his hair away from his face.

"Not if I can help it." the doctor promised me.

"There's nothing you can do?"

He paused for a moment, and looked at Oliver, before shutting his eyes, and shaking his head.

I knew I wasn't the only one. The doctor knew there were options, but Oliver wouldn't listen. and he'd clearly banned him from telling me.

"I'm so sorry, Miley." The doctor said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder as I held on tightly to Oliver's hands, and stared down at him, part of me hating him for what he was doing to himself, to me...and then hating me more for hating my dying soul mate.

--

Oliver made me let him get discharged as soon as the doctor said it was ok. The Morphine pump now attached to him, we moved in to my dad's house because Oliver wanted to be near the beach, near where we grew up. Oliver's parents didn't have room, and so Oliver and I took the downstairs bedroom and bathroom, since Oliver and stairs weren't a good match nowadays.

As soon as we got home and I had gotten Oliver in to bed to nap, I excused myself and took the stairs two at a time, and found myself in my old room.

It was much how it was when I'd left it. The bed made with my old comforter and sheets. The things I hadn't taken with me when I had made the change from high school student to high school graduate making a living for herself, and moved out of my father's house still sat on their shelves and in place. Dad had replaced the picture of my mom that had always sat there with a new one, because I had taken mine with me.

The tears that had begun to fall on my trip up the stairs were falling full force now, as I slowly sank on to my bed, hugging the pillow to my chest, and sobbed.

It wasn't long before I heard the creak of the floor, and then my bed sank as more weight was added. Opening my watery eyes, I looked up at my father, and I sat up, and he wrapped his arms around me. Burying my face against his shoulder, I sobbed. These sobs were different though. They tore through me, and with each cry it felt as though my heart was about to be torn from my chest. I was in pain, a pain much deeper then anything before. I was going to loose the love of my life.I was going to loose my other half. I was going to loose myself, when I lost him.

"It hurts so bad, daddy."I sobbed, "Nothing has ever hurt this much. He's in pain, he's sick, and I can't do anything." I choked out. "He's dying, daddy, and I can't save him. I love him.I l-l-love him."

"I know, baby," He said softly, stroking my hair, "I know."

Had it been anyone else, I would have yelled that they didn't. But he did. "Is this what it felt like?" I whispered, looking up at my father with puffy, tear filled eyes.

"What what felt like, sweetie?"

Voice congested with tears I said, "Is this what it felt like for you when mom was sick? Especially right before she...died?"

He nodded slowly. "Yea, Miles. It was." He said softly.

After a moment of silence, I asked him, "Once she was gone...how did you get over it, daddy? How did you move on?"

There was a long period of silence in which he just held me, stroking my hair, before he finally spoke.

"I still haven't."


	8. Chapter 8

**Here, finally, is the next chapter! sorry it was delayed. I hope you enjoy it, and the next one should be up soon!**

**Read, enjoy, and please review!**

**-Jen**

**EDIT: For some reason, when I uploaded this the first time, the last few paragraphs of the chapter didn't upload and I didn't realize it till later. So I fixed it now! sorry guys!  
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As the days went by, they alternated between being good days and bad days. I had taken a undetermined length leave of absence from work. At least, that what I made my dad believe. If things went my way...

I needed to be with Oliver, and, well...God only knew when I'd want to return to doing anything other then laying in bed and sobbing after...it happened.

But for now, I battled with him through the bad days, taking care of Oliver, and spent every second with him on the good days. We'd walk slowly around the mall, taking in the sights, we'd take walks along the beach if we didn't feel like just sitting there, walking slowly. My favorite times where when he wasn't too tired at night, and we'd walk through he sand in the moon light. He needed my support still on the good days, but that was minor.

On his bad days, I'd help him through the pain, hide in another room when he was asleep and cry, and watch movies with him.

Today happened to be one of those bad days. I lay in our bed with him, his head in my lap. I was gently combing my fingers through his hair, his eyes were shut.

"I'll miss this." Oliver said quietly. Just like it always did when he mentioned anything about the impending future, my breath caught in my throat.

"Don't." I whispered.

"Miley," He said, his voice soft because he was unable to speak any louder when he was like this, "It'll just hurt more if you keep it all inside."

"I won't keep it all inside." I promised him. "I won't have too. Now hush up and rest, you need sleep," I said, stroking his cheek gently.

He reached up, and with his hand gently held mine in place against his face, shutting his eyes. "You're so warm." He said.

"Are you cold?" I asked, alarmed, reaching for a blanket and pulling it over him.

"No, Miley," He said softly, "I'm not cold." He said, though I could feel him shivering.

I busied myself tucking the blanket around him and making sure every inch of him was covered, only stopping when he grabbed my hands. "We need to talk." He said seriously.

Stealing one of my hands back, I moved it to his face, pulling my fingers through his chocolate brown locks. "About what?"

Slowly, he sat up, moving to sit beside me, his legs straight out, back up against the headboard. I quickly grabbed pillows, and made hims it forward so I could put them behindhis back.

"Come here." Oliver said, motioning to his lap, reaching for me.

Hesitantly, I moved to his lap in a position thatI was straddling him, my legs wrapped around his waist where he put them, he let his arms fall to wrap around my waist.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and looked at him. "So...not that I'm complaining. but why am I like this to talk?"

"Miley," He said softly, "What you said the day that we made love for the first time...when you said that..."

"That once you left me I'd find a way to follow?" I supplied, and he nodded.

"Yea that. You weren't serious, were you?" He asked, and I understood why he'd gotten me like this, him holding me: so I couldn't get away.

I shrugged. "Of course I was, Ollie." I told him as if it was nothing. "I won't live without you." I said simply.

"Yes you will." He said sternly. "Miley...you can't k-kill yourself. No. Not over me."

"You are my everything Oliver." I told him. "You're my life. Once you're....g-g-gone....I won't want to live anymore. And because you don't have to live, neither should I. So I won't. I have every right to take my own life if I wish too."

"Why are you so stubborn?!" He yelled, suddenly mad.

I jumped and leaned away, and he sighed, pulling me back, wrapping me tightly in his arms.

"Miley Ray, can't you see how much I love you?" he said softly, leaning back to cradle my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. "I loveyou so much that...I can't even describe it, Miley. When I'm away from you, it hurts my heart,and all I want to do is be with you. The sound of your voice is like my own personal melody, and your laugh...God I love your laugh. Your smile is so beautiful you light up a room. You're my light in all this dark, Miley." He said, voice about to break. "And I don't know where I'm going to go after I leave this earth, but you better not follow after me, not for a long long time. If you do, I will be royally pissed at you."

"Angels don't get mad at each other." I whispered, moving my gaze down.

"Look at me." He demanded, and my gaze went up to meet his again. "You're my angel, Miley." He told me, "My angel, that needs to stay on this earth. You father...how do you think he would react if he found out his little girl, his pride and joy, had killed herself. And Jackson? They've already lost your mom, Miley."

Eyes filling with tears, I said, "Don't try to guilt me, Oliver."

"I'm not trying to guilt you. But...you can't do it, Miley. I am _not _worth it."

"But I want to be with you." I whimpered. "Forever."

"We will be together, in eternity. When you're old and have lived your life, when it's finally your time, I will be waiting for you with open arms, and I will show you off to everyone else. As my dying wish, Miley...promise me. Promise me that you won't try to kill yourself. That's the last thing I want from you, Miley."

I looked at him, his eyes boring in to mine, pleading. "Fine." I whispered. "Fine."

He smiled in relief, "Good." He said, kissing me. I kissed him back, our lips moving heatedly against each others, tongues battling eachother, his hands pulling me as close to him as possible.

Before I knew it, he had peeled my shirt over my head, throwing it somehwere across the room, and his fingers trailed over my back and stomach, massaging his fingersin soft circles.

His lips left mine, pressing against my skin from my neck and collar bone, down to the tops of my breasts, not covered by my bra.

It was when his fingers slid to the clasp of my bra that I stopped him.

"Woah, woah, woah," I breathed out, "We can't do this, it's to...psychically demanding."

He groaned, grinding his hips against mine, his erection painfully obvious. "Miley," He groaned, "I love you. I want to make love to you. It's not going to kill me. Please."

I bit my lip, hesitant, "No." I said. "I just...it's not safe, Oliver! You're sick."

He let out another groan, letting his head fall back. I sighed, biting my lip. Now he was uncomfortable, and under a lot of sexual tension, and that couldn't be good for him. There was something I could do for him...something I've never done before, nor did I ever think I would, really.

Heart pounding at how he'd react (what if he thought I was disgusting?), I moved my hands to the waist band of his flannel pajama pants, sliding them past those, only for my hand to come in to contact with his boxer covered erection.

He let out a noise, hissing, "Miley that's not going to help my situation."

I ignored him, and moved, taking a deep breath before sliding both pants and boxers off of his legs, and tossing them off the bed. Mini-Oliver (though mini may not be the right term) greeted me, and I glancedback up at Oliver's face. His eyebrows were raised, sayingwhat he then spoke out loud. "Miles what are you doing?" He said in a husky voice, also sounding strained.

"I-I...Helping you get rid of your...you know." I mumbled, flushing.

"Miley you don't have to do that," He said.

I shrugged. "I know...I-I want too. Now shut up." I said, moving my hand to take hold of him. He let out a groan, and I hesitantly moved my hand up and down along his length, and he let out another noise. I repeated my movements again a few more times, before glancing up at him nervously, and then taking him in my mouth. As I moved, using my mouth and hands to pleasurehim, his groans and moans or incoherent things, as well as my name and some profanities were all that filled the room, and I was glad that my father was out.

I felt his fingers running through my hair as I continued, and he groaned out, "Miley...oh god..."

In less then a minute, he let my name fall loudly from his lips, and he had reached his high. When it was over, I let him fall from my lips, and then got up, and ran to the bathroom, immediately spitting in the sink and turning the water on, before getting my toothbrush and toothpaste. After brushing my teeth and washing my mouth, I went back to him. He had put his boxers back on, but he lay there, other wise unmoving.

I hesitantly sat on the edge of the bed beside him, and he reached up, pulling me to lay with him.

"Say something." I pleaded, after a long period of silence had passed by.

He paused in moving the pad of his thumb around in circles on my cheek, and looked at me. "Wow."

I flushed. "So I wasn't...awful?"

"No, Miles." He said, hugging me closer to him, "Not at all. It was amazing, and you still didn't have to do that."

"I know." I whispered. "But I wanted to...for you."

He kissed me, stroking my hair. "Well, thank you."

I nodded, and smiled at him. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," He said, going on, "You'll come to my doctor's appointment with me later, right?"

"Of course," I told him. "It's at three. We'll leave in twenty minutes."

He nodded, and we lay there together for another fifteen, before getting up and getting ready, and then going out the door about five minutes after.

--

After doctor Jacobs had done a brief physical examination, and then taken a round of x-rays, MRIs, and some blood for testing, we sat together in his office.

"Well, Oliver, Miley, I reviewed the X-rays and the MRIs that I took, and the rapid tests from the blood work, and everything is pretty much how to be expected. Nothings changed for the better." He told us.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and moved my gaze down, holding Oliver's hand tighter in mine.

"I'm surprised though...you really are a special case. Usually the caner would have spread to other organs, but yours is still specific to your liver. Its a shame we can't find you a match, or we could potentially cure you."

"We've already accepted that's not going to happen, doc," Oliver said as my head shot up. "We'll just...take it as it comes." He said, raising our hands, laced together, to press the back of mine to his lips quickly. "Is there anything else?"

"Nothing you don't already know. Do you have any questions for me?" Doctor Jacobs asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Actually, I do," Oliver said, glancing at me. "You see, doc, Miley here is worried that if her and I have sex it'll make me worse because it's so physically demanding. Is she right?" He asked, all the while I was turning bright red and sinking lower and lower in my chair.

Doctor Jacobs laughed, smiling, "Well, Miley, at this point it may be bad for his health to deny him those things. It won't be bad for him, it won't make him get worse fast. If you want to have sexual relations, then it is perfectly fine."

I nodded, mortified, and then we stood to leave, shook hands with the doctor, and exited the office, then the hospital.

We walked, my arms across my chest, head down and red, Oliver's arm around my waist.

"I hate you." I said, once I was seated behind the wheel. "That was mortifying." I added, as I put the key in the ignition.

"Hey, I love you and I want to make love to you. Can't blame me for asking."

"Oh yes I can." I said, pulling out of the parking lot.

"Miley," He whined, "Come on baby, don't be mad. You know you love me." He said, poking at the corners of my mouth. "Come on...smile."

I couldn't help but giggling at his boyish antics, and he grinned, accomplished. "Is your dad going out tonight?"

"I think he said something about your parents, him, and Lilly's parents going to dinner."

I saw him grinning. "Just cause the doctor said it was safe doesn't mean I want to."

"But...It been since we were in France." He said. "I love you, Miley," He said serious now, "And we need to share our love, physically and emotionally...while we still can."

It was good that we had reached home, because when he said that, I instantly began to cry.

"Miley..." He said. "Don't cry!" When I didn't stop, he got out of the car, and came around to get me, and we went inside. He sat on the couch, and pulled me down facing him on his lap.

I buried my face against the crook of his neck, holding his shirt in my fists.

"I love you," He whispered, "I love all of you, every part of you, and I want to make sure you know that while I still can, so that when I'm gone you'll remember."

I pressed my lips to his neck, moving up to his face, where I pressed kisses all over, until finally kissing his lips. I didn't know what to say, didn't know what there WAS to say, so all I did was kiss him, trying to show him how I felt too.

I moved off of him, pulling him up, and then we went in to our room, where I fell back on to the bed, and he crawled over me, and our lips connected again. His lips fell across my skin, leaving a trail of heat, and mine across his. Our clothes were shed, our bodies pressed together, and then, he was inside of me.

I don't know how long we made love that night, but I do know that I was glad my father didn't come home. The rest of that night was spent in bed together, and when we weren't making love, we were cuddling...kissing...laying there together inside of our own, perfect little world where everything was, at that point in time, absolutely perfect because all we had to acknowledge was each other, and the deep, undying love between us.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here is another chapter. PLEASE NOTE: whatever the conclusion of the chapter is, THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER. KEEP READING. Read and PLEASE review!!!!!**

**I wanna dedicate this to Broken Oken, cause she is currently very ill :( I hope you feel very better very soon, Kaylee!!! **

**Enjoy, everyone!**

**-Jen**

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**_Saturday, November 9th, 2013_**

I woke early on the morning of Saturday, November ninth, and found Oliver watching me.

"Good morning," I yawned, stretching. "That's not creepy at all."

He smiled, pulling me back down to lay with him. "I love watching you sleep. Not only are you adorable, but the things you say sometimes..."

My eyes widened. "What!?" I shrieked. I sat up, facing him. "You're lying I do not talk in my sleep!"

"Yes you do." He laughed.

I glared at him, then wailed. "No! What do I say?!"

"Well usually you just say my name." He said softly. "Last night...you were crying out my name. I thought you were having a nightmare."

"Oh." I said, looking down. "I was."

He pulled me down to lay with him again, so I was right up beside him, our bodies touching, heads resting both on his pillow.

"Tell me about it." He asked, moving so we were facing on another, both on our sides.

I shrugged, "It was nothing." I lied, moving to roll over and get up, but he caught me around the waist, and locked his eyes to mine until I began to talk. "I don't know...we were in a room full of mirrors, and I lost you. It took me hours to find you, and when I did, you were laying in a hospital bed. And then you just started disappearing and I couldn't do anything because I couldn't reach you in time. And then...you were gone."

He pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around me. "Oh Miley," He said gently. I expected him so say something else, but he simply repeated himself and then fell silent.

It took me a while to realize that he finally had nothing to say.

--

Lilly dropped by around eleven, when Oliver and I were in the living room, watching TV.

"Hey guys, How you feeling Oliver? You up for going out to lunch?" She asked.

He shrugged."Yea sure, let's go!"

They both looked at me. "You guys go." I said slowly. "I actually have plans. With a friend...from Tennessee I ran in to the other day."

"Who?" Oliver asked.

"Macy," I fabricated. "Will you be ok without me?" I asked him, reaching up to feel his forehead.

"Yea, I'll be fine, I actually feel pretty good today."

"When I get back we'll go to the beach!" I smiled, reaching up to kiss him. "You two go bond...like best friends do."

I watched them get in Lilly's car, and waited until they'd driven away, before pulling out my phone and going in to our room, finding the slip of paper.

I prayed that she'd answer, and when she did, I let out a breath, relieved.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Maura. It's Miley." I said, nervously.

"Oh! Hello, Miley! How are you?"

"Alright. How are you?"

"The same. Is there something you needed?" She asked pleasantly.

"Do you think we could meet somewhere?" I asked after a moment.

"Of course. How about the cafe on third street?"

"That's great, when?"

"I can be there in ten minutes."

--

I walked in to the cafe and scanned the room, she waved me over to a table in the corner.

When I approached, she stood, giving me a hug, before sitting again. The waiter approached and we ordered drinks, and once she was gone, Maura looked at me. "How's Oliver?"

"Alright." I said, looking down. "Today, anyway. It's just a waiting game now. Any minute he could suddenly go from good to bad, or bad to worse. He needs a morphine pump to monitor the pain. He's in pain a lot. He thinks I don't see him pushing that button. He thinks I don't see a lot of things."

"Like what?" She asked gently.

"Like when pain passes over his face, or when he winces in pain. Like when he's looking at me with a sad, distant face. He thinks I don't see when we're on the beach and he looks at the other couples. At the boys carrying around their girlfriends or fiances or wives. He thinks I don't see the guilt that flashes in his eyes. He thinks I can't physically feel pain because he's in pain..but I can. Because I'm constantly in pain, and there's no other explanation." I said, looking up at her, wiping shamefacedly at my eyes.

She held out a napkin,and I took it, dabbing at my eyes, smiling softly in way of thanks.

"It's the same way for me, with my Tom." She said. "I don't know if they don't realize it, Miley...I just think they choose to try not to notice it because it hurts them more that we're hurting. To see just how much we do care about them, knowing...they're going to die, and there isn't anything we can do about it. They all try to act strong. Like nothing is wrong, when everything really is. They feel like they aren't doing their job as men. They're supposed to be the strong ones. They're supposed to be supporting us, in their heads."

"But that's the thing, Maura," I said, winding up sobbing, "I might be able to do something about it but he won't let me find out! He's so convinced he's going to fdie, that there's no way, he won't let them test me! I could be able to save him just by giving him part of my liver! But he won't let me!"

"So don't tell him. Just do it." She said simply. "Sometimes, you just have to take things in to your own hands, Miley. Don't let anyone else get in your way. I should really get back to my Thomas." She said suddenly. "Think about what I said, Miley. And good luck." Before I could say anything, she got up, leaving money on the table, and left.

I sat there for a good ten minutes, before finally getting up and going home.

--

Late on, after eating dinner with my father and Jackson and his wife, Oliver and I took a walk on the beach at sunset.

Shoes dangling from our hands, my other arm was around his waist, partially supporting him, and his was around my shoulders. I could feel how thin and frail he was. He kept getting weaker.

We'd been mostly silent, but finally I spoke, finally telling him all I hadn't. "I can't help but keep thinking about all the things we'll never get to do." I whispered.

He stopped walking, and we turned to face each other, letting out shoes drop to the sand so we could put both arms around each other. "We'll never get to...get engaged." I whispered, "We'll never get to get married. Or have kids. We'll never get to be eighty years old...sitting on the porch with our grown children, looking at our grandchildren. We'll never get to sit together, old, and think, 'look how far we've come'" I said, crying. Again.

"You'll be such a beautiful bride." He said softly, tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.

I buried my face against his chest, and sobbed. I felt as we slowly sunk to the ground, and he gathered me in his lap. I felt his face against my hair, and I felt moisture as he rocked me back and fourth. "I don't want to be a bride for someone else." I sobbed. "This really sucks."

"I know." I said, feeling him cry too. He was crying, he was upset, he was sad.

He was scared.

He didn't really want to die.

--

But, no matter what someone wants, they don't always get it.

The following day, when Oliver woke up, he could barely move. He was pale, but looked bruised, and yellowed even more then normal. He was burning up.

The images of him passed out on the bathroom floor kept playing through my head as I called 911, and told them to page Doctor Jacobs to be there when we did.

It seemed like hours before the ambulance got there, and hours more before we got to the hospital. I held his hand the whole way, praying to the Dear Lord. Don't take him from me, not yet.

But my prayers were not answered. "This is it, guys." Doctor Jacobs told me, Oliver's parents and sister, and my brother, father and Lilly. "Within the next few days he'll enter the comatose state. Miley, Oliver listed you as his next of kin. That means you have the power as if you were his wife." I nodded, unable to speak.

We all never left his side, all day.

All day, I sat beside him on the edge of the hospital bed, his head resting against me.

Everyone left to go get food around eight, but I still stayed. It was in the dim light of his empty room, that I moved so I was facing him.

I took both of his hands, and he held them over his heart. It was still beating, the heart monitor assured me of that. But it was reassuring to feel.

"This is it, baby." I heard him whisper, and my heart dropped, eyes instantly filling with tears.

"No, Oliver...I'm not ready." I said, however selfish it was.

"I'm not going to make it through the night," He said, swallowing, "I can feel it, baby girl."

I leaned forward to rest my head against his chest, and the tears silently feel, my grief to much for words. And he wasn't even gone yet.

"I'm so tired," He said. "Remember what you promised me, Miley Ray." He breathed. "You stay alive, for me. I love you."

"I love you too." I sobbed. "For eternity."

He smiled, "For eternity. One...last...kiss?" He was struggling now, so tired.

I gathered my strength to lift my head, so I could place my lips gently on his. I pushed all the love, passion...anything. Any emotion I could find went in to that kiss.

"Wait for me, Ollie." I whispered.

"Always." He whispered, then said no more.

I kissed him gently, and stayed there a few more minutes, before getting up, crying a lot. "I'm sorry," I whispered to him, "But I can't keep the promise I made to you."

I left the room, and ran down the hall, away from him, though I wanted to be with him.

I would be with him, and I was going to make sure of it.

Hours later, the blade fell across my skin.


	10. Chapter 10

**Here's the next chapter :) Enjoy everyone. Thank you SO much for all the reviews, I appreciate them so much! You guys rock! Read, enjoy, and please keep on reviewing! Next chapter will hopefully be up soon.  
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**-Jen**

**Note: I believe I've been all over with Miley and Oliver's ages...Sorry about that, I confused myself. It is 2013, and Miley is 20, Oliver is 21. Miley will turn 21 on November 23, 2013.  
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**_Dark. That was all I could see. My eyes were closed, and I couldn't find the strength to open them. I didn't know where I was, I didn't know what was going on. All I knew was that I couldn't possibly be alive because I couldn't feel her weight on me, I couldn't feel the warmth of her skin, I couldn't smell her. And my pain, the pain that had burdened me for I don't even know how long anymore was gone...but knowing I couldn't be with her anymore gave me a whole new level of pain._

_Resigning to the fact that I wouldn't be doing anything except laying here for a while, I thought._

_Assuming of course, that I _was _in heaven (I hadn't done anything that bad in life, at least, nothing that I could think of...), I hoped I'd be able to look over her. Make sure that she was ok, and happy. I wanted that for her. She deserved that, and then some. She deserved everything she wanted._

_For some reason, she had wanted me._

_I had never been quite able to figure that out. She had never given herself enough credit. Miley was smart, talented, and beautiful. For years she had been the one I had wanted. I had wanted to be with her since...I can't even remember now. I think it was sometime after I had found out she was Hannah. I realized that some part of me kind of always knew._

_There was something familiar about the blond pop star who took the world by storm, had always had been. Especially the smile. Miley's smile was one thing I'd always loved about her...well, I loved everything about her, but her smile I'd always been partial too. One reason was that I could always tell when she was faking happiness. She did that a lot, especially lately._

_When she was really and truly smiling, it always reached her eyes. Her face lit up. I loved to see her smile...I loved to see her really, truly, honest to God happy. When she was upset, sad, or hurt and tried to play it off as though she wasn't, I could always tell._

_I hated anyone who made her less then happy, and I hated myself because lately, that's all she was, because of me. I know I can't help being sick, but that was one of the reasons I had kept it from her as long as I did._

_Everyone always said "what you don't know, can't hurt you," and so I had used that to defend my actions to myself._

_What she didn't know couldn't hurt her. She'd be better off living in blissful ignorance, then knowing the truth and hurting every day, sitting by my bedside waiting for me to die. I hadn't wanted her to remember me like I was just before. I wanted her to remember me how we were before my disease ruined it all. When all there was was her and I, our love, and trying to figure out our lives._

_I missed her already. I miss feeling her next to me. I miss the way her head fit in to the crook of my neck as though it belonged there. I missed the way she'd hold on to me...as though I was her connection to life. I missed feeling her fingers tracing random patterns on my skin when we were laying together._

_I missed her laugh. It'd been a while since I'd heard it. I missed hearing her sing...she hadn't done that in a while either. I missed her smile, her face._

_I missed everything about her. I missed everything I'd never get again._

_I'd never get to hold her, hug her, kiss her, tell her I love her, make love to her._

_I'd never get to propose to her. I'd never get to see her walk down the aisle in a white dress to me, and have her become my wife._

_I'd never get to hold her and tell her it'd all be ok again. I'd done that a lot in the past. Every year on her mother's death anniversary. I'd lay in her bed with her and hold her, watching old home videos with her and looking through pictures while she cried._

_I'd always wanted to meet her mother. Her mother must have had some influence on how amazing Miley was, and Miley really loved her. She'd told me that she'd have loved me and would have approved of us being together. I hoped she was right._

_"Oh, she was." I heard a voice say. I found that I could now open my eyes._

_I saw that I was in what looked like the hospital room I'd been in when I'd died. This room though, was white, pure white. Everything except for me and the hospital gown, and the woman sitting on the chair beside my bed and her clothing was white._

_I recognized the woman instantly, I'd seen her in pictures and videos, and I'd seen her facial features and eyes in the love of my life._

_"Mrs. Stewart." I said, confused._

_She smiled, and nodded. "Susan." She said simply._

_"But you're..." I whispered._

_"Dead? I know." She smiled._

_"So I'm dead too, just like I thought." I muttered. "Is this heaven? It looks like a...really boring hospital?"_

_"This isn't heaven." She shook her head. "But I can leave heaven...I am technically an angel, you know. I can leave if I need to. And I needed to."_

_"If this isn't heaven, then where is it?" I asked._

_She ignored my question, and said, "Miley was right. I would approve you you dating my daughter. She loves you, Oliver. A lot. More then she'd ever loved anyone."_

_"How do you know that, though?" I asked, confused._

_"Miley talks to me. I can't answer, of course, but she still does. When she's...cooking, or doing laundry, or just sitting there. Out loud, in her head. My baby knows I'm there, even though I left her physically long ago."_

_"She still wonders why you had to go." I stated simply._

_Susan shrugged. "It was my time, Oliver. I couldn't stay any longer. Miley eventually will learn to accept that. But, Oliver, my daughter loves you. With all of her heart. So don't let my baby down, don't hurt her. Or I will be forced to hurt you, you hear me?" She asked, a smirk on her face, eyebrows raised. I knew she wasn't kidding._

_There was just one problem. "It's too late to tell me that, Susan. I'm already dead."_

_"Oliver, stop worrying about that for a moment, and listen to me." She said, "True love is an amazing thing. People are lucky if they find it once, and really lucky if they find it once. There's a difference between in love, and true love. You and Miley are each others true loves. Each others one and only. My daughter wants everything with you. A future with you is her dream. It isn't going to be perfect. There's going to be ups and downs...but that's what will mean it's meant to be. The fact that you guys can and will get through them is what will give your relationship more strength."_

_"And I want to give her all of that, Susan. I want to give Miley everything she wants and deserves and more. But I can't. I'm dead!"_

_She shook her head. "You aren't dead, Oliver. You're in...the in-between." She said._

_"The in-between?"_

_"Yes. It's where peoples minds and souls go when their body is waiting to recover, if it can be recovered. Almost two months have passed since you went to sleep that night Oliver. It's Christmas Day. Miley's 21. You're almost 22."_

_"I'm confused-" I began, but she cut me off._

_"My daughter's very stubborn, Oliver. Just close your eyes, and...let go." Susan said, and then she was gone._

_I sighed, but shut my eyes...and then, lost all control, and it was dark and blank again._

_--_

**December 25th, 2013  
UCLA Medical Center**

The room was so bright, his eyes squinted against it. He heard a collection of noises.

There were steady beeping noises, as though they were coming from machines. The hum of said machines. I heard sounds that sounded far off. I heard murmured voices, including the one I'd missed the most.

My body felt still and I tried to move, letting out a sound of frustration. I heard her gasp, and then footsteps, and then there was more weight added to the bed, and I felt a body against mine, and warm hands wrapped around mine. "Ollie? Oliver? Baby it's Miley," Her sweet voice said, pleading.

"Miley." I murmured hoarsely.

I heard her let out a cry, then I felt her lips against my hands. "Yea Ollie, Miley. Open your eyes for me, baby. It's ok! You're ok! You're alive! We're together!" She said, rejoicing.

Slowly, my eyes opened and I met the world again. There she was. Her beautiful face hovered over me, her long hair framing her face in it's beautiful curls. There were tears in her beautiful blue eyes, but her face glowed with happiness. Behind her I saw my mom and sister, both also crying, My father behind them, a look of pure happiness on his face. Lilly appeared by Miley's side, and I heard Jackson, his wife, and Robbie Ray.

Miley's smile grew wider, and her hand touched my cheek. "You're awake." She whispered with joy. "Finally." She leaned down, her hair forming a curtain, and pressed her lips gently to my cheek. "I just got the best Christmas present ever." She said, kissing my cheek again.

When she rose again, I looked another with confusion, as mom mentioned something about Doctor Jacobs, and left, muttering things happily about miracles.

"But how?" I whispered, my voice weak after an evident two months of not being used. "Transplant was only option..." I muttered. "I'm weird...no matches.

"Show him." Chelsea said, and Miley smiled at me, and stood.

"Well I guess we're both weird." She said softly, and wordlessly pulled up the hem of her shirt to reveal her stomach.

There, clear on the creamy tan of her smooth skin, was the unmistakable upside down 'Y' scar that became a part of both liver transplant donors and recipients.

"I told you, Ollie," She said softly. "I knew I'd be able to save you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's a new chapter! Sorry it took so so so long to update. As you'll see at the ending of this chapter, this story is not over, not in the least. There's still quite a few chapters now, at least in the most recent plan. So review please, and I'll try to update sooner then last time. Thanks for reading/reviewing, you guys rock! **

**Enjoy!**

**-Jen**

* * *

"Well, Oliver, everything looks good. Great actually." Doctor Jacobs said, listening to Oliver's heartbeat through a stethoscope, well a nurse looked at the monitors. "I was surprised at how well your body took the transplant. Not one sign of rejection. You'll have to continue to take the anti rejection pills as we move forward, and you'll have to be careful about getting sick."

I sat in the chair beside Oliver's bed, a huge smile on my face.

"How did you do this though?" Oliver asked, confused. "I was dying."

"Well, after you fell asleep the night you told Miley goodbye, she came to find me. She demanded I test her compatibility even though you forbade it. She's very convincing...and I'm in this line of work to save my patients, not watch them die. Plus she was your next of kin so she called the shots. So I quickly got what they needed, and brought it to the lab and waited for them to test it. they told me it was compatible, so I called and told them to prep Miley for surgery and get you in isolation to prep you. We did the transplant that night." Doctor Jacobs told him.

I reached out, taking his hand. "It only took me about two weeks to recover. I kept asking about you. Once you were declared as accepting it, you were moved to a normal room. Doctor Jacobs said that it still could go either way...you were in a slight coma. But you had brain activity. He said that your body was just waiting for both your body and mind to be ready." I smiled at him widely, "I've been praying that you'd wake up. And you finally did, on Christmas!"

He frowned. "I missed your birthday."

I laughed. He would think about that. "This is the best present ever." I said, gently placing my hand over his heart. "I don't care."

"You're twenty one now." He said. "You're legal."

I saw Sally shaking her head at her son's train of thought.

I laughed, standing, helping him back in to bed. "Well I can't drink alcohol now anyways, and neither can you. But I don't care. It's a small price to pay, considering what I get instead."

Doctor Jacobs interrupted. "I have to go do rounds...I'll be back in a while to see how you're doing. Merry Christmas, everyone!"

We all returned the statement, and I sat on the edge of Oliver's bed, just wanting to be close to him.

I took his hand in mine, holding tightly on to it. I was lost in my happiness, but heard him asking everyone to please give us some time alone.

Oliver's mother and sister kissed his cheek, hugging him on their way out, and his father gave him a hug, a long hug. Mr. Oken wasn't really one known for emotional displays, but over the past few months I'd seen him cry a lot; worried.

Lilly, Jackson, and my dad all gave him hugs on their way out too, and then we were alone.

He scooted over in the bed. "Lay with me," He said, and I did, laying out, turning on my side so we were facing each other. "You saved me," He finally said, softly.

I smiled. "I told you I could."

"I should have listened to you." He admitted. "I'm sorry."

"What's done is done," I said, brushing my fingers through his hair to push it away from his face. "All that matters now is that you're here with me, and we're together."

He smiled at me, reaching up to cup my cheek with his hand.

"I missed you." He breathed softly.

"Do you remember...anything? From when you were out?" I asked.

He thought for a minute. "I remember being in the dark." He finally said. "I just...thought. About you, mostly." He said. I smiled softly, as he went on. "Then I could see. I saw..." He trailed off nervously.

"What'd you see?" I asked.

"I don't want you to think I'm lying..." He said softly.

"Baby just tell me," I laughed, "I'll believe you."

"Remember how you siad that you wished your mom had met me? And I agreed? Well...I met her."

I felt my brow furrow. "How?"

"She said that for the two months that I was asleep, I was in...the in between. She said that she was an angel, technically, and could go wherever she wanted if need be. I talked to her, and she told me to just let go. Then...I woke up." He said slowly.

I was silent for a moment.

"Maybe it was the drugs," Oliver added hastily.

"No, I believe you." I said softly. "A few days ago I was alone with you in here. I was upset, and I asked my mom for a sign that you were going to be ok. you squeezed my hand. You hadn't done that before...to anyone."

We were silent for a while, laying there, staring at each other. Some may have found this awkward, but it wasn't.

"So," He said softly after at least ten minutes had passed, "What happens now?"

"You'll probably have to stay in the hospital for a few more weeks, but Doctor Jacobs said everything was being accepted well, you just had to wake up, so maybe only a week or so. You'll have to take rejection pills for ever. No alcohol is to be consumed. But...other then that life goes on." I told him, running my fingers through his hair, smiling.

He smiled back, "Life will go on, and you'll walk down the aisle to me, and then you'll have my babies, and we'll grow old together."

Smiling, I added, "and sixty years from now, we'll sit on the back porch or our house watching our grand kids play in our yard."

"I'll be a hot old man." He said, nodding. "You'll still want me."

Laughing softly, I reached forward to press my lips to his cheek. "Of course. I always will."

"I have a question."He stated, and I nodded, waiting. "Why haven't you kissed me real yet? I want more then a cheek kiss." He pouted.

"Germs."

"You said the doctor said I was fine. You aren't sick, I'm fine, and I missed those lips so let's go," He said, and I laughed, moving closer to him to kiss him.

When our lips connected, it was like my whole body woke up. He was ok, he was alive, he was healthy, he'd be fine.

I'd be able to become Mrs. Miley Oken.

I'd be able to feel his baby kick inside my tummy.

I'd be able to wake up in his arms for years and years to come.

I'd be able to look at him sixty years from now, grin, and say "look what we did" when we saw our children with their children.

It was like my future was once again attainable, my dream not a far fetched letdown.

He was back, which meant my life was back, because that's what he was...my life.

--

**_Five Months Later  
May 25th, 2014  
_**  
"Babe," I said, walking from my father's kitchen to where Oliver sat in the living room on the couch, watching some sport or another with my dad, Jackson, and his father. "I need your help."

Lilly, Chelsea, Sally and I were in the kitchen, planning.

The silver diamond engagement ring he'd given to me on valentines day sparkled on my left ring finger, and I was carrying a book of invitation script samplers. We were getting married November first of this year.

He let out a noise, eyes on the TV, shoving popcorn in his mouth with one hand.

Rolling my eyes, I sighed, and sat myself down on his lap.

Still nothing.

"OLIVER!" I shouted in his face, and he jumped.

"Oh, sorry baby...uh, what?" He asked.

"I need your help picking out the writing for the invitations." I said. "I like these three. Which one?"

"Um..." He said blankly, looking between the three. "Which is your favorite?"

"These three. Which one?"

He looked at them blankly for a while, before finally saying, "Miley, I really don't care."

I glared at him. "Oh yes, because," I glanced at the TV, "Football is so much more important then _our wedding_."

He looked at me for a moment. "...it's baseball."

I glared at him again, snapping the book shut, and stood, dropping it on the table, before heading out to the porch.

I sat on the top step of the wooden porch stairs, and looked out at the setting sun, fighting back tears.

"Miley," he said softly, it taking only a minute for him to come out here. I didn't look up but heard him moving, and in a moment, he was sliding his arms around me, his legs on either side of mine, as he sat behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Baby don't cry," He said softly, sighing, as he gently pulled me back against his chest, as he lifted me up so I was sitting on his lap.

"It's our wedding and you don't even care!" I said, my voice breaking.

"Of course I care, Miley," He said. "I care about the fact that we're getting married. But I could marry you at a drive through chapel in Vegas and be ok with it because of what comes out of it. All I want is you to be my wife. The wedding will be amazing of course, and I'll regret it if I don't have one," he said, beginning to stop making sense, "but...I don't care about all those tiny details. All those cursive's looked the same. You pick out the writing...I'll help with the other stuff. You pick the writing and I'll choose the wording. 'Don't be a idiot, come see Oliver Oken make the best decision of his life.'"

I giggled, burying my face against his chest.

"Come on," He said, "You guys have been talking about the writing for the past hour." He said, standing up and setting me to my feet.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and held me close. I wrapped my arms around his torso as we headed for the beach.

We walked together in silence for a while, before stopping, and we both sank to the sand, laying down. His arm was under my head, hand near my shoulder, and I lifted my hand up to take his.

"We'll be husband and wife in like, six months." He stated softly.

I nodded. "Mrs. Miley Ray Oken." I said softly.

"That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" He asked, grinning, as he turned to kiss my cheek sweetly.

"It does," I agreed, moving to rest my head on his chest, over his heart.

"How come you do that?" He asked softly, as I shut my eyes, listening to the thumping of his hear underneath my head.

"Because," I said simply, "It still scares me to think about what almost happened. I almost lost you, Ollie."

"But you didn't," He said, and sat up , legs out straight, he gently pulled me on to his lap, straddling him. He picked up my hand, and placed it over his heart. "I'm fine," He said, kissing my forehead, "My heart's beating," He added, kissing the tip of my nose then, "and it," he added, "like the rest of me, is all yours." He said, before kissing my lips softly. I broke the kiss for a moment, looking at him,

"Forever and for always?" I asked softly, and he smiled, nodding.

"No matter what it takes, we'll stay together through everything. We'll take everything as it comes. Step by step. It may not be easy, but it'll be worth it."

He kissed me once more, and then we lay down again together, staying there for long after the sun had set before going back to my dad's house, and then going back to our apartment.

Looking back now, I wonder why I thought he was wrong. I thought "of course it's going to be easy. God's given us enough hardships for one lifetime, hasn't he?"

But oh how wrong I was, and oh how right Oliver was.

It wasn't going to be easy. Not in the least.


	12. Chapter 12

**Here's a new chapter. Just a warning, it slides slightly in to the M range. Not too bad, no play by play, but just a warning. Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!  
**

**Enjoy!**

**-Jen**

* * *

**_One and a half months Later  
Friday, July 18th, 2014_**

I was exhausted. And that was an understatement. I wanted to sleep for weeks.

I'd spent the past week wedding planning, working ten hours a day because Lindsey was coming out with another album and we were planning a world tour, and I was helping a new artist with her first album, and then today after work my dad, Jackson and his wife Carrie, and myself were due to leave for our annual two week long summer trip back home, to visit Tennessee. This time, though, Oliver and Lilly were coming too.

We were staying until August second, but from the twenty fourth through the twenty sixth of July; my dad, Lilly, Aunt Dolly, Grandma Ruby, Memaw and I were leaving Tennessee and going to New York City, where we were meeting Sally and Chelsea to go shopping for my wedding dress.

I hadn't been sure if my dad would want to come, I mean sitting in a room with a bunch of girls well I tried on a bunch of dresses? I didn't think it was really his thing, not in the least. But I had wanted him to come with me. I mean, he was the only parent I had left. He'd been a father playing the role of father and mother for the past nine years. His opinion was important to me.

I'd felt awkward asking...

_"Daddy?" I asked, walking out on the porch of his house, where the whole family was for dinner. We'd been discussing the Tennessee plans and wedding plans._

"Hey baby," He said, patting the stairs next to him, "Come sit with your old man."

I sat beside him, and he put an arm around my shoulder.

Resting my head against his shoulder, I sighed,looking up at the star filled Malibu sky. "Time sure has gone by fast, hasn't it?" I said quietly.

"It sure has," He agreed. "It seems like just yesterday I was teaching you how to walk and talk and ride the horses. Heck, it seems like just yesterday your momma gave birth to you. And now here you are...my little girl is twenty one and engaged to be married in such a short time. Not so little any more." He said, sounding sad.

"Daddy, I'll always be your little girl. I'll always need you. I'll just...be older." I said, laughing. "But I'lll never stop needing you."

He gave me a one armed hug from where we sat, kissing my forehead. "Glad to hear it."

"I love you, dad," I said, hugging him back.

"I love you too, baby girl." He said. We sat there in silence for a while, until I said again,

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?" He responded, staring at the stars.

"You know how when we go to Tennessee, I'm going to New York for a few days to go dress shopping?" I asked.

"Yea. With Lilly, your grandmothers, and Oliver's mom and sister right?"

"Yea, and Carrie. And...well, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to?" I asked, looking away.

He was silent for a moment. "Do you want me to go?"

I was silent, before nodding. "Yea, I do. I mean...You're my dad. You've been a father and the best stand in mother you could be for the past nine years. You've always loved me no matter what, you've always been there for me. You're...you're one of my best friends, daddy. I want your opinion, I want you to be there. But if you don't want to go, I understand." I added.

"Of course I'll go, Miley," He said, and I heard emotion in his voice as he hugged me again, with both arms this time. "Of course I want to be there."

And that had been that.

The group of us (dad, Jackson, Carrie, Lilly, Oliver, and I) were on the plane to Tennessee now.

Dad, Jackson and Carrie were sitting at the front of first class, and Lilly, Oliver, and I were in the very back row of first class. It was a late night flight, so everyone -- and I mean _everyone _around us was asleep. With the exception of the flight attendants, but they only came around every twenty minutes or so.  
_  
_Lilly sat on the seat by the end, I was in the middle, and Oliver was at the window seat. We were the only two awake.

I was sitting there twiddling my thumbs (ok not really, but I was considering it.), and Oliver was listening to his iPod, staring out the window at the dark world beneath us.

It was chilly on the plane. I got out my big hot pink fluffy blanket from my carry on, and draped it over me. Then, getting a devious plan if I do say so myself, I threw it over Oliver too, and put up the arm rest between us. (You could do that on first class). I cuddled to his side, and he smiled down at me, leaning down to kiss me softly, before returning to looking out the window, listening to his music.

I simply sat there for a few minutes, innocently tracing my fingers lightly over the muscles in his arms. He'd been working out to rebuild his muscles.

Ever so innocently, I pressed a soft kiss to his neck, then another, and a few more. He shut his eyes, happy, and didn't say anything about it until I reached up to take out the earphone of his ear.

"What are you do--" He broke off as I began to whisper in his ear. "Holy shit." He said through gritted teeth as I whispered things that would cause my father to lock me in a room until I was like, ninety or older if he heard me. It involved things we'd do later, which in turn involved, for example, him pushing me up against a wall.

I'm sure he would have been fine if I had just been talking and occasionally kissing his neck like I was.

But then I decided to play dirtier.

I moved my hand under the blanket to travel across his leg, to the zipper on his jean shorts, which I easily unzipped and unbuttoned, and he let out a sigh, for with the tightness his erection was creating, he must've been pretty uncomfortable.

As I slid my hand past the waistband of his boxers, taking hold of him, he let out a low grown, hissing out, "Fuck, Miley."

Smirking, leaning up to his ear, I giggled, whispering, "I know you want to baby, but we're on a plane," as I moved my hand up and down the length of him very slowly, and kissed at his neck some more, tangling on hand in his hair closest to his neck.

I moved my mouth to cover his when he began to let out groans, and then suddenly stopped, taking my hand back, constricting him back in the cloth and denim of his boxers and jeans, and then announced, "I have to use the little girls room," And rose, walking away.

When I looked back at me, he was staring after me, open mouthed, face flushed, a dumbfounded expression on his face. I giggled as I slid in the tiny bathroom, that was slightly bigger then first class, but still small. I didn't bother locking the door, as I only wanted to wash my hands and face, and I set forth doing so.

I was checking my makeup in the mirror when the door slid open, Oliver slid in, and then quickly shut it, locking it, and then turning to me.

I smiled innocently, "Hey Ollie."

He growled, pressing me up against the wall with his body. "You think this is funny, do you?" He growled, attacking my own neck with kisses.

"Oh, I think it's hilarious." I told him, wriggling to get away, making sure to grind my hips a little. He let out another groan, and lifted the hem of my shirt, pulling it off but leaving it around my neck, in order to free his hands so he could move the fabric of one of the cups of my bra, and then in turn use his mouth on the skin he'd just revealed. I let out a long moan, squirming, and he came back up, kissing my mouth, smirking, and wasted no time in hiking up my skirt, and moving the crotch of my panties aside.

"Oliver don't you da-" I began to threaten but broke up in a moan when he didn't listen.

I was leaning back against the wall, glad he was pressed against me so tightly because he was what was holding me up, panting as he kept moving his hand, knowing I had to tell him to stop, but to worked up to care.

But, as it turns out, I didn't have too.

He let me go, and I almost fell, but I caught myself, and he quickly washed his hands well I was still dazed, and then headed for the door.

"Wait a minute, Oken," I growled, grabbing him by the shirt, and pushing him against the door, "That isn't funny." I growled at him.

"Oh but it's funny when you're doing it to me?" He asked.

Using my hand to rub his still there erection through his jeans, I nodded, "Yes. Now, finish what you started," I demanded, unzipping his shorts again.

He didn't need to be told twice, as he let his shorts and boxers fall to his ankles, and then he yanked my panties down, hiking my skirt up again.

This would surely be interesting...

--

We I slid out of the bathroom after ten minutes (Life Experience List: Sex in airplane: Check.), and there were no flight attendants around. Fingers laced together, we walked quickly back to our seats, and sat, I pulled the blanket over us, and cuddled close to him again. I was a cuddler, especially after sex.

"How much longer is left in the flight?" Lilly's tired voice interrupted our kissing, making both of us jump.

"Uhhh...about an hour," I told her, looking at my watch, "Why?"

"I have to go the bathroom." She sighed, moving in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

"There's a bathroom right there," Oliver said, pointing to the room we'd just vacated.

She opened one eye and scrutinized us. Lowering her voice to a whisper, "I am so not using that bathroom after what you two just did in there. Sickos."

I blushed, and shrugged. "You're just jealous."

"Of you screwing Oliver? Ha. You're so funny, Miles."

"Hey!" Oliver defended.

"Hey, Oliver is amazing in bed!" I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Oh yea," Oliver nodded. "I am awesome. I'm like...awesome. You should have heard her earlier."

"Um, no thanks," Lilly said, face wrinkled in disgust, "And don't have too much pride, Oliver...sex is always more pleasurable in airplanes in the air. It's the high altitude."

We both looked at her. "What?" She snapped, "I'm a writer, I'm supposed to know random things.

"Okay..." I said, climbing on to Oliver's lap and curling up against his chest so sleep. I leaned up to whisper, "Don't worry baby -- You're always that good."

I settled in to sleep against his shoulder for the rest of the flight, the last things I saw a huge accomplished smirk on his face as he settled his arms around me.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for all your reviews for the previous chapter:) Heres the next one! Just to you guys know, my new rule is that before I post a chapter, I have to have the next one done...so I don't get behind haha. **

**Enjoy this chapter, please review!  
**

**-Jen**

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I was exhausted when the plane landed in Tennessee, at about ten at night, Tennessee time. My arm's locked around Oliver's waist, I was pretty much relying on him to keep me upright as we headed towards baggage claim.

Dad, Jackson, and Oliver got all the bags on to luggage carts well Lilly, Karen and I went to go rent a car to drive to my grandma's house.

About a half hour later, I was sitting in the very back seat of a minivan with Oliver. Jackson and Karen sat in the middle row, my dad was driving, and Lilly sat in the passenger seat.

Yawning, I curled up against Oliver for the drive.

"Excited to be back home?" He said softly, slowly stroking his hand up and down my arm with the arm that was around my shoulders.

I nodded, smiling, "It's been a whole year. I miss it."

"I'm glad I got to come with you this time." He said. I looked up at him, smiling, and kissed him.

"Me too. I'm excited to go get my dress." I grinned.

"You'll look beautiful," He smiled. "Only four months left."

"It'll go by so fast." I said softly.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No," I said, "I can't wait to be you're wife. Mrs. Oliver Oken." I smiled. "For the rest of forever."

"You guys are SO corny!" Jackson's voice interrupted us in our little bubble.

Glaring at him, I reached out to smack him in the back of the head just as Karen smacked him in the chest.

"Ow!" He yelped, rubbing his head and chest, "Jeez, women..." He muttered.

"Leave your sister alone, Jackson." Dad commanded as he drove.

"Dad. I'm twenty three, you can't tell me what to do anymore." He said.

"Jackson, stop bothering your sister and interrupting her moments or you and I won't have any moments romantic or otherwise for a while." Karen said, staring out the window.

Jackson paused. "Sorry sis."

Oliver laughed, "Dude you are so whipped." He said, still laughing, but stopping when I said,

"And what makes you think you aren't?"

--

The ride from the airport to the house took forty five minutes, and when we got there, grandma was still awake. She ran out to the porch as the car pulled up and we all got out, then down the steps. She got to me first, hugging me tightly.

"Oh, Miley! Baby girl, am I glad to see you!" She said, kissing my forehead, "I've missed you, darlin'!"

"I missed you too, grandma," I said, hugging her back tightly. "You've missed a lot."

"Well you'll have to catch me up tomorrow once you've all gotten some rest, you look exhausted. Jackson! Come give your grandma a hug,"She said, pulling Jackson in to a hug.

After hugging Karen and my dad and Lilly, she turned to me. "Grandma, this is Oliver...you met him at Jackson's graduation? This is my fiancee." I smiled, holding his hand.

"I remember," She smiled, "But that was quite a long time ago now, huh? I heard about...everything that's been going two certainly love each other, huh?" She smiled.

"I love him more then life," I nodded, "I love him..."

But she just nodded, smiling, tears in her eyes.

Oliver hugged me from behind, kissing the top of my head. "I love her more then I thought it was possible to ever love anything or anyone. She's my everything. And she -- literally -- is my life. She saved my life."

He let got of me, and, smiling and still teary eyes, my grandmother gave him a hug, "My daughter would have approved of you. And so do I," She told him. "But if you ever hurt her,be warned that I have some very mean chickens. They may look innocent, but they know how to harm people. In fact, the last person to hurt one of my family members is now unable to have children. He surely regretted that." She smiled.

Oliver looked apprehensive for a moment, but then shrugged. "I'd never hurt her."

Grandma smiled, patting his shoulder. "Good." Then she took my left hand, looking at the ring on my finger, before pulling me to her arms again. "My little Miley, getting married." She sighed. "You kids grow up to fast. Well let's get ya'll inside, and in to bed."

Well Jackson, dad, and Oliver got the luggage, Lilly, Karen and I followed my grandma in to the house.

The boys followed shortly, and grandma said, "Miley, you know where your room is, Lilly's is the one right next to yours, Jackson, you and Karen take your normal room, Robbie Ray, you're down here in the normal room, and Oliver will be in the room on the opposite end of the hall from Miley."

Dad let out a laugh, and patted grandma on the shoulder, "Thanks Ruby. Goodnight kids, see ya'll in the morning."

Grandma smiled, kissed me and Jackson goodnight, and then retired to her room.

Jackson turned, pointed at us, and said, "Haha!" Before grabbing his and Karen's bags, and saying, "Come on baby."

I rolled my eyes, and we followed after them. I showed Lilly her room, then lead Oliver in to mine.

"Isshe serious?" He asked, whining. "I need you. She does know we live together right?"

"I don't know. I havn't told her, and I don't think my dad would have mentioned it. But whatever. She hardly ever comes up here anymore, she has arthritis in her legs. And my dad knows we live together, clearly." I said, and opened the suitcase he'd put on my bed for me, grabbing clothes to sleep in, and my bathroom stuff.

Sighing in relief, he hugged me from behind again, "So I can stay with you?"

"Actually, we're going to stay in the other room. This was my mom's room...it'd just be...too weird." I said.

The thought of most likely making love to Oliver in the room my mother once slept in as a child seemed...so, so wrong.

"Good idea," He said, taking hold of his lone suitcase.

"How do you only have _one _suitcase?" I asked him, gathering a few more things, "We're going to be here for _two _weeks."

"Because I'm a guy." He said, "And I have one suitcase and a duffel bag. Why do you need three?"

"One per week." I said back.

"...two weeks and three suitcases?"

"One's for my hair products, skin products, makeup, flat iron, curling iron. And shoes. Duh." I said, leading the way down the hall.

I could almost see him rolling his eyes even though I was in front of him. I opened the door to the room, and walked in. "You can unpack and stuff. I'm going to wash my face." I told him, dropping my clothes on the bed, and going in the bathroom.

When I came out ten minutes later, Oliver was lounging on the bed in nothing but boxers and a wife beater.

"I'm so tired," I yawned, as I kicked off my flip flops, took of the jean skirt and the shirt I'd been wearing, pulling on cotton shorts and a camisole in place of them, then climbed on to the bed beside him.

"Why do you wear that when you sleep?"

"What?"

"Clothes."

I gave him a look. "If that's your way of trying to get me to take my clothes of so we can have sex, it ain't going to happen." I told him, "Get up."

We both stood and I pulled the covers back, then got in to bed, pulling them up. He slid in next to me, and I shut off the light.

"I'm tired, you exhausted me on the plane," I said, scooting close to him so I could cuddle up close to him, "And I think you should just hold me."

I heard him chuckle as I rested my head on his chest, my leg swinging over him so I was very close to him.

He wrapped his arms around me, and kissed the top of my head. "Whatever you want." He said softly. "I love you, Miley." He added.

I smiled, "I love you too, Oliver. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, baby."

--

It seemed like the morning came fast, but I felt so well rested when I woke up. The only bad part was that I was alone.

I sat up and stretched, then slid from the bed and in to the bathroom to use the toilet, brush my hair and wash my face, and then went to the room I was supposed to be sleeping in and changed in to jeans instead of shorts, and put on a wife beater type tank top in stead of the cami, then put on riding boots. I was going to show Oliver around Tennessee style.

After braiding my hair, I went downstairs.

Dad, Lilly, and Oliver sat with grandma at the table.

"Good morning!" I said, as I sat beside Oliver.

"You're oddly awake for the morning," Lilly remarked, sipping coffee.

"I slept well." I shrugged, getting my own coffee, "And I'm in Tennessee. Oliver go get dressed, we're going riding."

"I am not going near those man eating scary things!"

"Oliver don't be a baby. Blue Jeans wouldn't hurt a fly. I wanna show you around."

"Fine." He sighed, standing up, kissing me, then heading upstairs.

I helped myself to a muffin.

"Where are you going to go?" Dad asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm going to show him around the ranch. Maybe visit momma."

He smiled, nodding.

Oliver reappeared, and I stood, grabbing his hand, yelled goodbye to everyone, and pulled him out to the barn.

A while later, I was sitting on the saddle that was on my horse, and Oliver was siting behind me, arms locked around my waist as though his life depended on it.

"Baby," I laughed," You'll be fine! Just...let it all go." I smiled, coaxing Blue Jeans to go faster.

I loved the feel of the wind on my face, and I knew a huge smile was gracing my face as I rode.

I lead my horse to the pond with the waterfall that I'd come to so long ago...with Travis.

I'd forgotten about him...

I stopped Blue Jeans, and we both got off, and I tied his bridle to a tree.

"Come on," I said, grabbing Oliver's hand, and pulling him towards the lake. I stood on the cliff that looked over it, and Oliver stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You're so happy here," Oliver said softly in my ear, "It seems like you're so much happier then you are in California."

"I'm happy in California," I told him, "I'm happy in both places, in different ways."

"You're so...alive here." He said. "Your smile so bright."

"Ollie, I love California. Both places are home. This place is just...really close to my heart." I said. "Come on, I'll show you why."

Lacing out fingers together, I pulled him to the dirt path.

"My mom always loved it here. She found it when she was a little girl. When I was about three, she brought me here for the first time. We'd come here every weekend, just the two of us." I said, as we broke through the clearing. "It's part of My grandma's land."

We'd stepped in to a sunny meadow. Wildflowers and planted flowers alike were everywhere, their aroma filling the air.

Oliver looked straight ahead, at the heart shaped granite. He looked at me. "Is that...?"

I nodded, and pulled him closer.

"This is my mother's grave." I said softly.

Upon the granite, etched in, read:

_"R.I.P  
1964-2005  
Susan Marie Stewart  
Beloved mother, daughter, and wife  
Dearly missed, forever loved, never forgotten_

_--  
_

_"I never wanted you to leave...I miss you,  
I miss your smile, and I still shed a tear every once in a while,  
and even though it's different now,  
you're still here somehow,  
my heart won't let you go,  
and there's one thing I know...I miss you""_

_--  
_

"Your lyrics." He said softly.

I nodded, and slowly got to my knees on the green grass. "Hey, momma." I said softly. "It's me. I'm back. Oliver's with me this time. We're getting married in a few months. I wish you could be here with me," I said softly. "In person. I know you'll be there even though I can't see you." I smiled up at the sky. "We're back in Tennessee for a few weeks now. I'm going to go get my wedding dress at the end of this week. I'll come back...and I'm sure daddy and Jackson will come talk to you." I told her. "I'll be back, mommy," I said, pressing a kiss to my hand and touching the headstone. "I love you."

I stood again, and Oliver and I slowly walked out in silence, back to Blue Jeans.

"Sometimes, I wonder how life would be different if she were still here." I admitted to him.

"It's weird to think about, huh?" He asked, arm around my shoulder.

I stopped walking, and sat on the grass again, and he sat beside me. "I used to wonder it a lot more. It gets easier with time. I still miss her so much...but she'd been sick for a long time. Now...now it's just...I keep thinking about how life would be different if you had died, Oliver." I said, breaking off in tears. "I still have nightmares sometimes...I wake up, and you're dead. I'm all alone and I don't know what to do. Then I really wake up and you're right next to me, and...it's so scary, Oliver. It happens all the time," I sobbed. "And sometimes I don't even have to be sleeping. It's like...day mares."

He wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling him to his chest. "Miley," He whispered, "Baby don't cry," he said, "Please don't cry. It's ok. I'm ok. I promise. I'm here with you. Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"Because," I cried,"I thought it'd go away, but it hasn't."

"Miley," he said, placing a hand on each side of my face to make me look at him, wiping away my tears with the pads of his thumbs, "I think that once we get back to California...we need to find you a therapist. You need help to figure this out and stop this, baby. That's something I don't know how to do."

I nodded slowly, and he kissed my forehead, hugging me close. I buried my face in the crook of his neck, and, as he gently rubbed my back, whispering that it'd be ok in my ear, I thought maybe this was the obstacle he'd been so sure would happen.

If only.

Compared to what would be coming, this was nothing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for taking forever and a year to update guys! I've been going through a lot lately and havnt had the time. But here's a new chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy it!! Thank you so much for the reviews on the previous chapter, I appreiate them so much! Please keep them coming =D**

******Enjoy this chapter, which is dedicated to Lindsey for being awesome. I love you linds, and thanks for everythig you do for me=] Youre the bestest friend ever!!! Love you=] **

**-Jen**

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**

The next few days passed uneventfully, and before I knew it it was the day we were to leave for New York. We weren't leaving to the airport for another hour, so I was in the barn alone, brushing Blue Jeans. I was alone, singing quietly to myself, as I pulled the brush through his soft fur, when I was interrupted.

"Hey Miley." I jumped, and turned towards the sound of the voice.

The man who stood there looked familiar. "Travis?" I asked, walking to stand at the door to the horse stall.

He smiled, tipping his hat to me. "Howdy, Miley. Welcome home."

I smiled. "Thanks. It's uh...good to be back." I said truthfully, sliding out of the stall, but leaning up against it. "How've you been, Travis? What've you been up to?"

He leaned against the barn wall opposite me. "I've been taking night classes at the university ten minutes away. Still working for your grandma...I havn't been around this week cause I was visiting my mom. She lives about two hours away. She heard from Ruby about you though. She asked me to tell you congratulations."

I smiled, nodding. "Tell her thanks. I'm not sure if she'll wanna fly out to Calfiornia...but I'll invite her to the wedding. It'd be nice to see her again."

"Of course she will," He laughed, "She's loved you like the daghter she never had."

I laughed, "She's great, your mom."

"You know...she'd love it if you...really where her daughter. Daughter in law."

I gave him a look. "Excuse me?" Then he was right in front of me, his hands were resting on my hips. "Miley, I never stopped loving you." He said, face close to mine. "I love you, Miley Ray Stewart. I want you to marry me, not him. I want you to pick me."

"Travis," I said, throwing his arms back at him, moving away from him,"There's no choice. He's it for me. I love him. He's my air, he's my sun, he's my...everything."

"Just give me a chance, Miley!" He pleaded, cupping my face between his hands, and forcing his lips upon mine. I tried to push him away, but he pinned my hands to my side. Finally, he let go when someone pulled him off of me. At the force, I fell to my knees on the hay strewn barn floor, and when I got up, I saw Oliver sinking his fist in to Travis's face.

"You disgusting bastard," Olivier said, pushing him to the floor, Travis's nose bloody. "Stay the fuck away from her." He turned, and looked at me.

"Ollie," I said, reaching for him, wanting to cry. He just looked at me with disgust, before pushing past me, running towards the house. I ran after him, but he was taller and stronger then me.

"Oliver!" I shouted, running in to the house, "OLIVER WAIT!"

Dad intercepted me in the kitchen, grabbing my arm. "Woah, little girl, what's going on?"

"Travis...kissed me...Oliver..." I muttered, before running up the stairs again.

I banged on the door. "Oliver, let me in!" I called,"I didn't do anything let me in!"

He opened the door, but didn't give me the chance to speak before he was yelling in my face, loudly. "You didn't do anything?!" He shouted, "Miley I saw you kissing him!"

"I didn't kiss him, he kissed me!" I cried, tears beginning to fall.

"It takes two for a kiss," He growled, grabbing my left hand and yanking the ring off of it. "Wedding's off." He hissed, before slamming the door in my face. I stared at the door where just two seconds ago had been his face.

"W-w-what?" I whispered, my voice wavering. "No!" I whimpered, banging on the door again. "Oliver please!" I sobbed, "Don't do this, I didn't do anything!"

"Miley..." Lilly said softly, coming up the stairs. "Let's go," She said, putting an arm around my shoulder, and bringing me downstairs. "We have to go."

"There's no point!" I sobbed, shouting. "He called the wedding off, he doesn't w-want me!" I turned to where Travis sat, with a tissue to his nose. "YOU!" I shouted, "You ruined e-everything, I hate you!"

"Miley!"Lilly said, putting her hands on my shoulder, making me look at her. "Oliver's just being a stubborn bastard! He didn't mean it, you guys are going to get married, and you have appointments! We have to go. Let's go. Just give him a few days, ok?" She asked, but wound up not really giving me a choice, as she pulled me out the door anyways.

The plane ride was long, boring and heart breaking. I spent most of it staring idly out the window, sitting still. When we got there, Sally and Chelsea were waiting. They both hugged me, and, as always, Chelsea looked for the ring. She said she liked to see it as confirmation her brother did actually have some sense of style, for he'd picked the ring out all on his own.

"Where is it?" She asked, as we walked towards the door.

I pulled my hand back, wrapping the light cardigan I wore tightly around me, crossing my arms. "He took it back." I snapped. "These appointments are pointless. He-he hates me and he left me and he doesn't want me anymore."

"Miley, I told you. He's being stupid. It was a misunderstanding. Now we're going to your appointments and finding you the perfect dress." Lilly said. "And you're going to like it." She added, hissing.

Lilly, dad, Grandma, Memaw, Aunt Dolly, Sally, Chelsea, Karen, and myself got into two different taxis, all going to the same place. We'd check in later, our luggage was being brought to the hotel.

I had an appointment at Cory's Bridal Shop today, and one at Kleinfeld's tomorrow. You know the store on that TV show, Say Yes To The Dress? It's on TLC. That shop. I wouldn't be going on TV though, no, definitely not.

I was supposed to be excited about this. I was supposed to want to do this. But, as we got out of the taxis, entered the building, waited, met my consultant, and I was asked what I wanted...I was at a loss. I knew what I wanted, I just knew it was pointless.

I knew that I thought I wanted a strapless dress with either a chapel or cathedral train, so I told her that.  
For the next hour I was zipped in to and then unzipped out of countless amounts of dresses, and had to parade each one to everyone.

Finally, I'd had enough. "You know what, I'm sick of this!" I said, after staring in a mirror at myself in the undeeded white dress well everyone told me I looked great. "I can't do this now! I just want to leave and go home." I said, tearing up.

"Ok I think we'll be leaving now," Aunt Dolly told the consultant, whose name I couldn't remember.

"That's no problem," She said pleasantly, picking up the train. "Sometimes this is very overwhelming. Let's just get you back in your clothes," She smiled, helping me back to the changing room.

I got out of the dress as quickly as possible, and in to my own clothes, then grabbed my purse. After, though I begged to go to the hotel, we went out for dinner. Two hours later, I finally fell in to the bed of the hotel room. I didn't bother changing, only kicked my shoes off, and crawled in to the bed under the covers. With not much hope, I checked my phone. Nothing.

Lilly sighed, coming out of the bathroom. "Miley, come on," She said softly, "He loves you."

"That's what I thought."

_The wind blew softly around me, making my hair flutter in the wind. All around me, the birds chirped happily. I was in a flowly, soft white dress that went to my ankles, and I was in a grassy meadow, barefoot. I felt a crown of flowers in my loose wavy hair. I felt like I was in a romance novel._

_I saw a wedding set up farther in the distance, I heard the bridal march playing. Though I had failed to notice before, there were flowers in my hand, and a veil attached to the ring of flowers in my hair._ _He was about fifty feet away from me, at the alter. I smiled, and began to walk up the aisle._ _When I got there, I handed my flowers to Lilly, who stood beside me in a yellow dress._

_The priest began to speak, talking about love, patience, and being faithful. He got to the vows._

_"Miley," He asked, turning to me, "Do you take Oliver to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health from this day forward, until death do you part?"_

_Teary eyes and large smile, I nodded. "I do."_

_Nodding and smiling at me, he turned to Oliver. "Do you take Miley to be your lawfully wedded wife? To Have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health from this day forward, until death do you part?"_ _I waited for him to say I do. But all he did was take the ring off of my finger...and walk away._

_"Oliver!" I called, "Oliver, where are you going?"_

_He turned to look at me. "I can't do this."_

_"Why? You're not sick anymore! I saved you, remember? We can be together!"_

_"It's not because I'm sick, Miley." He said, then shrugged. "I just don't want you. I don't love you." He said, then turned, and he was gone._

_I watched after him, the hot salty tears spilling from my blue eyes as I watched him go. "Oliver, no!" I called...but he was already gone._

_"I just don't want you. I don't love you..."_

_"I just don't want you. I don't love you..."_

_"Oliver!" I cried, reaching for him._

_"I just don't want you. I don't love you."_

_"No!" I sobbed, "Don't leave me! Please! Come back! I love you!"_

_"I just don't want you. I don't love you."_

"OLIVER!" I shouted, sitting up in the dark, unfamiliar room.

Cold sweat covered my body, my hair stuck to my skin, and tears were leaking from my eyes, down my cheeks. The sobs racked through me, as I sat up and pulled the pillow to my chest, pulling my knees up. I barely registered Lilly's absence.

It felt hard to breathe. The reality of my dream crashed down like I'd had a avalance of snow fall on top of me. I was alone, all not because he couldn't be with me. He didn't want me. I was disgusted with myself for wishing opposite. I'm an awful person. If I can't have him no one does? How selfish can I be?

I was awful. I didn't deserve him. He was too good for me.

I knew I was probably ruining this pillow case, staining the white fabric with my tears, the running makeup I'd never taken off, and my runny nose, but I didn't care. I needed to cry, I needed to feel sorry for myself.

I needed him.

"Miley." I heard a pained voice say softly. It sounded like his voice. I looked up, around the room. Once adjusting to the dark, I saw him, standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed over his chest. I looked at him, wiping uselessly at my eyes for the tears kept coming, but asked, with a hoarse, congested voice,

"What are you doing here?"

"Lilly got Jackson to get me on a plane," He said, going in the bathroom. I heard the water running, and he came out with a glass of water, and a wet towel. He set the glass on the night table, and gently tilted my face up at him with one hand, and used the other to gently wipe away the makeup off of my face. After he finished, he set it aside, and handed me the water. I took it, mumbling a soft thank you, and gulped it down. Once I'd set the cup down, he said quietly, "What did you want to say?"

"You mean earlier?" I asked with hurt, "When you, instead of listening to me, called off our wedding?" He just looked away and nodded.

"What I want to say is...you're a dumb ass idiot if you think I'd ever in any way betray you like that." I said with venom. "After all we've been through, Oliver? Really? You saw me when I thought I was going to loose you! You saw...h-how much of a mess I was!" I said, sobbing, "You heard me tell you about the awful night and day-mares about you leaving me! I love you!" I yelled at him, "Ilove you! I need you! You're like the-the air I breathe, the light in the sky, the ocean, the things I need to live. You're my everything!" I said, loudly, well crying. "If you had thought to look closer at the situation you'd have seen him pinning my hands down to my sides! You'd have seen my struggles to get away! I didn't want to kiss him. He kissed me, and forced me to keep my lips on his."

"I know." He whispered. "He...he explained what he did. He apologized."

I scoffed. "I hope you didn't accept his apology."

"Oh, I didn't. I punched him again. Twice." I looked at him, he looked back. I slowly lifted my shirt, and on my tummy, you could see scarred skin of the upside down Y mark from the surgery.

"I'd have thought that this would remind you how much you mean to me." I said softly. "Oliver, you know...if you had needed a heart transplant..." I looked up at him, "I would be six feet under right now." I paused. "I don't know...how to live without you anymore. When we're apart, part of me is missing. I know what it's like, thinking you might not be there anymore. I know I can't live without you. Why would I risk having to do that?"

"I'm sorry, Miley," he said softly, sitting in front of me. "It's just...I always wonder...why me? I'm not good enough for you. You're too good for me. And...when I saw him, kissing you...I don't know, part of me just lost it. I wasn't thinking. I took my anger at him out on you. And I made the worst mistake of my life." He said, sliding my ring off of his pinky finger, and placing it in between us. "I'm so sorry." He said. "I'd understand if you never forgave me." It was silent for a extended period. After a while, I looked up at him, and softly said,

"We just...have to remember to trust each other." He nodded.

"I do. I will." Nodding slowly, I met his gaze and smiled,

"Well, you aren't going to make me put it on myself, are you?" Grinning, he picked up the ring, and slid it in its place on my left ring finger, and then pulled me against his chest. I felt his lips kiss the top of my head, before I leaned back to kiss him, before letting my head rest against his chest again as he held me close, my head right over his beating heart, his hand resting softly on my chest right over mine.


End file.
